<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
<meta charset="UTF-8">
<title>Carry On Wayward Son by MoonyToast777</title>
<style type="text/css">

body { background-color: #ffffff; }
.CI {
text-align:center;
margin-top:0px;
margin-bottom:0px;
padding:0px;
}
.center   {text-align: center;}
.cover    {text-align: center;}
.full     {width: 100%; }
.quarter  {width: 25%; }
.smcap    {font-variant: small-caps;}
.u        {text-decoration: underline;}
.bold     {font-weight: bold;}
</style>
</head>
<body>
<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29728146">Carry On Wayward Son</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/MoonyToast777/pseuds/MoonyToast777'>MoonyToast777</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Baby Teddy Lupin, Bisexual Remus Lupin, Cute Teddy Lupin, Department of Mysteries (Harry Potter), Domestic Sirius Black/Remus Lupin, F/M, Hufflepuff Teddy Lupin, M/M, Married Sirius Black/Remus Lupin, Nonbinary Teddy Lupin, Other, POV Remus Lupin, POV Teddy Lupin, Protective Remus Lupin, Raising Teddy Lupin, Sirius Black &amp; Remus Lupin Live, Sirius Black/Remus Lupin In Love, Veil of Death (Harry Potter)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>In-Progress</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-02-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-05-05</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-15 19:48:57</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>9</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>28,997</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29728146</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/MoonyToast777/pseuds/MoonyToast777</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>The story is set in an AU of All the Young Dudes, where Remus survives the Battle of Hogwarts. We follow his point of view as he is reunited with Sirius, and learns to be a father to Teddy. </p><p>When Teddy is eleven, the perspective will switch and we will follow him through his years at Hogwarts.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Harry Potter/Ginny Weasley, Hermione Granger/Ron Weasley, Sirius Black/Remus Lupin, Teddy Lupin/Original Character(s), Teddy Lupin/Victoire Weasley</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>25</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>94</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Harry Potter</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Anything For Our Moony</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>All rights to the characters belong to JKR, apart from a few of Mskingbean89 original characters from All The Young Dudes. (Grant, Livia, Castor so far...) and later there will probably be a few of my own original characters as well. </p><p>I'm wiring this because I really needed a somewhat believable post HP story where Wolfstar survives (and Fred) and I figured ya'll probably need this too if you've read ATYD. haha.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em> There's a letter on the desktop </em>
</p><p>
  <em> That I dug out of a drawer </em>
</p><p>
  <em> The last truce we ever came to </em>
</p><p>
  <em> From our adolescent war </em>
</p><p>
  <em> And I start to feel the fever </em>
</p><p>
  <em> From the warm air through the screen </em>
</p><p>
  <em> You come regular like seasons </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Shadowing my dreams </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> And I guess that's how you started </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Like a pinprick to my heart </em>
</p><p>
  <em> But at this point you rush right through me </em>
</p><p>
  <em> And I start to drown </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em> And there's not enough room </em>
</p><p>
  <em> In this world for my pain </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Signals cross, and love gets lost </em>
</p><p>
  <em> And time passed makes it plain </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Of all my demon spirits I need you the most </em>
</p><p>
  <em> I'm in love with your ghost </em>
</p><p>
  <em> I'm in love with your ghost </em>
</p><p> </p><p>May 24th 1998</p><p>It started off as a normal day for Remus, or at least normal for him. He spent most of the days on the sofa, occasionally getting up to write a letter, or take out the rubbish, or make himself some lunch, but he always wound up on the couch again. He hadn’t seen Teddy for a few days, but didn’t feel up to it today. Instead he sat with a cup of tea, and read the newspaper, turning it over to do the crosswords after a while. </p><p>At about midday his mind wandered to the bottle of whiskey he’d stashed under the sink, but he promptly thought better of it and decided to go for a walk instead. He got up, pushed through the mess of clothes, and old beer bottles, and stepped out into the bright sunlight, blinking slightly. He hadn’t even opened the curtains that morning and his eyes took a moment to adjust. It was almost summer now, and London was muggy and overcrowded. Remus liked this, it let him walk through streets unnoticed. Disguised by the throngs of people pouring over the pavement. He started walking, he didn’t know where he was going, he just let his legs take him wherever they wanted. It was better than sitting inside at least, he thought, willing himself to believe that this was progress. </p><p>Since the battle, he had only really been out to see Teddy, and even those visits were quite brief. Andromeda wouldn’t let him be alone with the baby yet. He supposed she was right not to trust him right now. He hadn’t exactly proven himself as a great father in the six short weeks of Teddy’s life. There would be time to get better at that, he resolved, as he rounded a corner into a small grassy park. </p><p>His hip began to ache and he headed for a nearby bench to rest. He glanced at the plaque on the back of the bench before sitting down. It read ‘In memory of Dorothy Thompson, may she rest in peace’. Remus blinked at it for a moment, wishing he had chosen another bench. The name only reminded him of Dora, and he spent most of his time trying not to think about that these days. No good, he had let his mind wander and the images were already flashing through his brain. </p><p>Tonks, smiling and winking as she joined him at the battle. Tonks, running down the stone steps towards a death eater even after Remus had begged her to leave. Tonks, bravely fighting Greyback alongside him. And then… no he couldn’t let himself think about it, it was too terrible. Too horrible to fathom. How could he have let this happen? How could he be the one standing here, and she be the one who had died? It wasn’t fair. Remus would have done anything to trade places with her. She deserved to live much more than he did, and Remus was tired, he didn’t want to keep going, not like she would have. She wouldn’t have ignored Teddy like this, she wouldn’t have wallowed in self pity and gone to hide away in London, she would have done better. </p><p>At least Remus thought she would, he didn’t really know her all that well when it came down to it. He had thought she would stay with Teddy that day, but he had been wrong. He had thought she would protect herself first, for Teddy’s sake. He had thought that she would be angry with him when he told her about Sirius, but he had been wrong about that too. Maybe that’s why he had loved her, because she was never what he expected. He had always had a thing for girls like her, chatty and bold, never doing what anyone else expected of them. She had seduced him in a way he would never have believed possible, she had pushed and pushed until Remus had finally given in, and done what she wanted. He didn’t even understand why she had wanted it, but she seemed to think it was a good idea. So he had married her. He was weak, and now look where that had gotten him. A single dad with yet another hole torn in his heart, and no idea how to go forward. </p><p>He got up now, walking back the way he had come. He wanted to be alone again, he wanted to cry, or drink, or do something to numb the pain. It was all just ridiculously unfair. He had lost Sirius, not once but twice. He had lost Grant in a way, and now he had lost Nymphadora too. It was too much to bear. He couldn’t be expected to bear it, not all on his own. </p><p>He arrived at the little Soho flat minutes later, sweating from the walk. Threw off his tweed jacket, and pulled off his long sleeve shirt, throwing them in a pile by the door. He walked into the kitchen grabbing a cold beer from the fridge. He was turning back towards the couch, when he noticed an owl perched outside on the stone window ledge. He paused, slightly startled by the bird. He didn’t have many friends left, and he had already spoken to Andromeda about his next visit with Teddy. He briefly considered that it could be Harry writing to him, but he usually used Pigwidgeon these days, and this owl looked very large and formal. It reminded him of the Black’s family owls Sirius had sent him in the first few summers they had known each other, but it couldn’t be him. There were no Blacks left. He shook this thought from his head, and opened the window, allowing the sleek bird to step inside and bow its head. He pulled the letter from it’s leg and read. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Remus, </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Come quickly. St Mungo’s, fourth floor, 7th ward. Ask for me.  </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Something very odd has happened and I think you ought to be the first to know. </em>
</p><p>
  <em> ~ Kingsley </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Remus clutched the letter, fear rising in his chest. He hadn’t heard from Kingsley since the battle. Why was he suddenly writing to him now? <em> Something very odd has happened? Come quickly? </em> Why was the new minister for magic calling him to St. Mungo’s? Was someone hurt? He couldn’t think of why Kingsley would be the one to tell him if a relation was hurt.</p><p>Nevertheless, he hurried to find a half decent shirt, and put the unopened beer back in the fridge. He used the last of his floo powder, stepping into the fire and speaking clearly. “St. Mungo's Hospital for Magical maladies and injuries.” </p><p>A moment later he was tumbling out of a large golden grate into a bustling lobby. There were Medi-Wizards and Witches walking briskly in all directions, and several patients waiting in line behind a large desk at one end of the hall. It was not the first time he had been to St. Mungo’s, he had visited a few times over the war, most memorable of those instances was when Mr. Weasley had been attacked by a serpent. In any case, he knew from his past visits, not to wait around in the lobby and - if you knew where you were going - it was best to head straight for the elevators. Remus always found it overwhelming, hanging about in the lobby and witnessing all the strange and dangerous ailments that came through. </p><p>He walked past the desk, nodding at the wizard there to confirm he knew where he was going, and stepped into the elevator. He listened as the echoing voice called out each floor, and the sense of dread built again in his chest. His mind started to buzz with all kinds of horrible scenarios, and he started pulling at the hem of his sleeve anxiously. After what felt like an hour, the voice called out ‘Fourth floor, spell damage.’ Remus stepped out into the well lit hall, and the elevator clattered away behind him. </p><p>This floor was considerably more calm, only a few Medi-witches milling about by the main desk. They looked up at him as he walked out of the lift.</p><p>“Who are you looking for dear?” A round faced witch asked. She had a calming nature about her, and Remus felt his chest loosen a bit.</p><p>“Er, I’m looking for Kingsley Shacklebolt.” He said tentatively. He realized that it sounded a bit odd, walking into a hospital and asking to see the minister for magic. He half expected the young witches to laugh at him, but the round faced witch smiled and nodded knowingly. </p><p>“You must be Mr. Lupin.” She said. He nodded mutely. She seemed to think that was enough confirmation, because she turned and beckoned for him to follow her down the hall. </p><p>They walked down the long hallway for a minute or so, and when Remus had counted seven doors, the witch stopped. She opened the door on the right and stepped aside, allowing Remus to enter. </p><p>“Just in here, love. Right by the window, you can’t miss them.” </p><p>‘Them?’ Remus thought, walking slowly through the wide door frame, and peering towards the window, trying to catch a glimpse of whoever was lying there. The curtains were drawn. He took a few steps toward the end of the ward, but when he was halfway down the row of empty beds, Kingsley stepped out from behind the curtain and greeted him. </p><p>“Remus I think I ought to explain, before you see him.” He looked worried, and stern. The fear that had been bubbling on the surface of Remus’ brain began to overflow. What had happened. Was Harry hurt? Was it Teddy who lay in that bed? Had he failed at protecting his family again? Oh god, what if something horrible had happened and he had been off sulking in Soho like a teenager? He stared at Kingsley and held his breath, willing him to just spit out whatever he had to say. Kingsley seemed to see the fear in Remus’ face, and quickly put a hand on his shoulder, steadying him. “No one’s been hurt, Remus, it’s ok.” Remus let out a sigh of relief. </p><p>“Sorry I shouldn’t have scared you like that.” Kingsley looked straight into Remus’ eyes, looking for evidence that he was calm. He nodded and allowed Kingsley to continue. </p><p>“This morning, a few of the Unspeakables were down in the department of mysteries and they found something very odd...” He paused. “You know the room with the veil?”</p><p>Remus’ heart twisted uncomfortably. That was the room where Sirius had died. Why would Kingsley want to bring him here to talk about that? “Yes, I know that room.” Remus replied bitterly. Kingsley just nodded slightly and kept talking. </p><p>“Well, this morning they were checking in, doing maintenance and whatnot, and they heard something in there, well actually they heard <em> someone… </em>they were, er, sort of, uh, yelling for help.” Remus was becoming increasingly confused, and wished Kingsley would stop being so cryptic. “Well, um, this may come as a shock… but, er, they found Sirius Black in there.” </p><p>Remus stared blankly at the burly man, waiting for the punchline of whatever sick joke this was. It didn’t come. Kingsley just looked back at him, waiting for a reaction.</p><p>”Remus?” Kingsley watched him, holding his arms out slightly as if he expected the spindly man to faint. </p><p>“Sirius Black is dead.” Said Remus finally. Kingsley nodded as if agreeing with him, but then looked back at the curtain furtively. </p><p>“Yes, well, he was, I suppose he was… dead, or some form of death. But, uh, he’s not dead anymore. It’s called the department of mysteries for a reason.” </p><p>Remus looked past Kingsley at the curtain again, wishing he could see through it more than ever now. He was rooted to the spot, paralyzed by this strange new information. </p><p>“So… you’re telling me that Sirius Black has risen from the dead?” Said Remus, as if waiting for Kingsley to laugh and say ‘no of course not mate’. </p><p>“Uh, yeah.” He replied bluntly. Remus was starting to become angry now. Why was Kingsley telling him this? It couldn’t possibly be true, even the resurrection stone couldn’t truly bring people back from the dead. It was silly to even hope that this could be true. Sirius had fallen through the veil three years ago, and he was not coming back. Remus was sure of this. But even as these thoughts swirled round his head, he inhaled and caught a scent on the air. A wonderful, comforting smell, one he knew so well. <em> Sirius.  </em></p><p>Suddenly his senses were on high alert. He sniffed the air again, and his ears pricked, listening for the heartbeat of the man behind the curtain. It was familiar and strong, beating slowly, he remembered that sound as if it had been yesterday. Remus was suddenly overwhelmed with memories again, but this time it was a dark haired boy with bright blue eyes who flashed through his mind. <em> Sirius </em> crawling into his four poster bed at Hogwarts. <em> Sirius </em> falling asleep in the common room while Remus read late into the night. <em> Sirius </em> curling up into Remus’ arms in their flat in London. <em> Sirius </em> , coming back from Azkaban and sleeping next to the fire. The great black dog curled up tightly in the living room. It was Sirius behind that curtain, Remus was sure of it. <em> But how? </em></p><p>Remus quickly remembered how to use his legs and pushed past Kingsley, striding over to the bed by the window and pushing the curtain aside. He practically gasped. There he was, greying black hair covering one side of his face, skinny frame resting peacefully on the soft pink pillows. His face was hollow, and he looked even thinner than Remus remembered. The blankets were pulled up to his chest, but Remus could see his collar bone sticking out against his hard frame. What had happened to him? How could this be happening? </p><p> </p><p>Remus began to cry all at once, and once it had started it would not stop. He wasn’t even sure if they were happy tears. All he knew was that the tears would not stop. He tried to wipe them away but quickly gave up, allowing himself to simply stand there while his tears splashed onto the smooth stone floor. </p><p>Kingsley came over and put a hand on his shoulder, steering him away from the bed, but something inside of Remus screamed at the thought of leaving for even a moment. He felt a surge of anger, and roughly pushed Kingsley’s hand away. Instead taking a seat beside Sirius’ bed. He plunked down forcefully and rooted himself to the chair. Wiping away the tears clouding his eyes and looked back at the sleeping man. He had so many questions, but when he opened his mouth all he could do was draw in another shaky breath. Kingsley seemed to understand, and sat beside him, looking up at Sirius as well. </p><p>“I know it’s confusing.” he said after several minutes. “I can barely believe it myself, but the Unspeakables seem to think this may be a property of the veil. They think that maybe it’s not death exactly, but some sort of passageway to the afterlife. Sirius is only the second person to go through the veil in recorded history, so I s’pose anything is possible.” Remus did not answer. He found that he did not care what the Unspeakables had to say about it. He knew that the only person who could truly explain anything useful was Sirius. </p><p>“Can he… is he… can he talk?” Remus said, uncertainly, turning to Kingsley. </p><p>“He was awake when the Unspeakables found him, but they say he passed out straight off.” Kingsley frowned at the unconscious Sirius. “The Medi’s say he’ll be alright thought, they say he’s fine, think he’s just malnourished or som’at.” </p><p>Remus’ head began to spin again and he leaned forward, resting his head in his lap. His world was turning upside down yet again. He wasn’t sure how many more life altering events he could handle. Why was it always him? Him who got bitten by a werewolf. Him who lost his parents. Him who lost all his friends, and had a murderer as a boyfriend. Him who lost his boyfriend <em> again </em> once it turned out he wasn't a murderer. Him who lost his wife just after having a bloody baby. And now this? He wasn’t even sure if he was happy about it. What was Sirius playing at, coming back unannounced like this? It was just like him to die and then decide to just come back to life. Remus let out a laugh at this, and shook his head. <em> Sirius, always the bloody drama queen. </em> He always got his way, and Remus was sure that if he had decided he wanted to live, even death himself couldn’t refuse him. </p><p>Kingsley looked taken aback, as Remus chuckled, but if he thought his friend had gone mad, he didn’t say so. He sat quietly and waited for Remus to come to his senses. </p><p>***</p><p>It was nightfall by the time Sirius woke up. Remus was sitting in the chair, his head lolling back against the wall. The shock of finding Sirius alive had tired him out and he had fallen asleep very quickly. He awoke, however, when he heard a small groan coming from the hospital bed. He sat up and peered around the darkened ward, Kingsley was gone. He quickly remembered why he was there and almost started to hyperventilate, but he took three deep breaths to calm himself and promptly got up to turn on the lamp beside Sirius’ bed. </p><p>“Remus?” A soft, breathy voice spoke, breaking the still silence of the ward. Remus nearly jumped. He hadn’t expected Sirius to wake up for days. </p><p>“Sirius?” Remus breathed. He hadn’t reached the lamp yet, but his eyes were adjusting quickly. He could just make out the glint of Sirius’ eyes from the moonlight outside. </p><p>“Moony!” Remus could hear the smile in Sirius’ voice, and it made him want to run into the street below and scream with joy. He clicked the light on, and looked down on the frail, but conscious man. They stared at each other for a moment, blinking, before Remus fell to his knees and wrapped his arms around Sirius’ hollow ribs. Tears began to slip down his face again, and he let them fall. He let himself sob like a baby into the blankets while Sirius wound his hands into his greying curls. </p><p>“You came back.” he said, finally pulling himself together and wiping his eyes. </p><p>“Of course I came back,” Sirius smiled lazily. “Anything for our Moony.” </p><p>Remus shook his head in disbelief. He wanted to ask Sirius how he had done it, where he had gone, how he had come back. But he could see that the poor man needed rest (His eyes were sliding shut again) so he saved his questions, and conjured another bed beside the one Sirius lay on. He pushed them together and crawled in, adjusting the pillows so that Sirius could curl up in his arms. Sirius felt weak, and shaky beside him. Like any wrong movement would snap him in two, and Remus felt a surge of emotion. A familiar feeling rushed to his chest, one he had not felt in three years. He wanted to protect Sirius Black at all costs.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The song at the beginning of the chapter was 'Ghost' by the Indigo Girls. </p><p>I'm trying to stick with the theme from All the Young dudes where MsKingBean89 added song lyrics at the beginning of each chapter - I thought that was really nice. </p><p>I hope you liked the first chapter, feel free to leave comments. This is my first fanfic so I'm open to (friendly) suggestions!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Reunited</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <span>He followed a light and came down to a shed</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Where a mother and child were lying there on a bed</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>A bright light of silver shone round his head</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>And he had the face of an angel and they were afraid</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Then the stranger spoke, he said, do not fear</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I come from a planet a long way from here</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>And I bring a message for mankind to hear</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>And suddenly the sweetest music filled the air</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>May 25th 1998</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Remus awoke the next morning when the kind, round faced witch came to check up on Sirius. He apologized for getting in the way, but she waved a hand dismissively and insisted he stay put. So he sat up in bed and watched as the Medi witch poked Sirius with a strange magical device. It looked a bit like a muggle thermometer (Remus remembered Grant prodding one of those under his tongue when he had been sick one winter) but the top was longer and had many little switches and dials. Remus stared at the little instrument swivelling as the witch touched it to different places on Sirius’ chest. He couldn’t make any sense of it, but the witch seemed to understand it’s signals, and nodded - satisfied. When she had finished the final checkups with her wand, she looked up at Remus and smiled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s going to be just fine, love.” She said, as if Remus were a small child sitting with a parent, not a fully grown man cuddling up to his boyfriend. “He may need a few more days here, but he’s on the mend.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Remus felt extremely comforted by this information and thanked her for taking such good care of Sirius. She offered him some food. Remus was about to refuse, but realized that he was - in fact - quite hungry. He hadn’t had a good meal since his last visit with Teddy. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The nurse brought him a huge stack of pancakes on a tray, and left another tray of smaller food for Sirius, instructing Remus to make him eat as soon as he woke up. He agreed to do so, and began wolfing down his own breakfast immediately. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was just about finished his last sausage, when Sirius’ eyes cracked open again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ha, still the same old Moony.” He said, rolling his head over to look at Remus. His voice was stronger than it had been last night, but not by much. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Morning.” Said Remus, putting down his tray and walking round to sit on Sirius’ side of the bed. “The nurse told me to feed you.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Go on then.” He smiled, chuckling slightly. Remus’ heart skipped a beat. He hadn’t heard that laugh in so long. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Soon he was handing Sirius small bits of orange, and spooning porridge into his mouth like he was a baby. Sirius didn’t have much strength, and struggled to sit up, but Remus simply waved his wand and made the cushions push him into a seated position. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>***</span>
</p><p>
  <span>It was easy, taking care of Sirius. He would sleep most of the time, and when he woke he was nothing but pleasant. He didn’t talk much over the next couple days, and Remus didn’t ask him about the veil yet. It was better that he told them on his own terms. Remus knew how it felt to try talking about traumatic events directly after they happened. So he held his curiosity a little longer, and fended off the ministry officials that arrived on the second day wanting to ‘ask Sirius Black some questions’. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He needs rest.” Remus insisted, when Kingsley showed up with a group of fierce looking wizards. “He won’t be of any use to you right now, he can barely stay awake for more than a few minutes. Thanks to you.” He added spitefully. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>One of the Unspeakables in Kingsley’s group piped up.“Oi, it’s not our fault’ he was starvin’ in ‘ere for so long. You ‘fink we expect some dead bloke to come tumblin’ out ‘the bloody veil of death every few days? It’s a bloody miracle we found him when we did!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Remus just scowled and turned back to Kingsley. “Look, can you just come back in a few days? The Medi’s say he’ll be much better by the end of the week.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kingsley looked a bit put off by this, but respected Remus’ wishes all the same. He ushered the group of wizards back towards the elevators and nodded respectfully at Remus. </span>
</p><p>***</p><p>
  <span>Peace was returned to the ward after that, but on the fourth day in hospital, a letter from Andromeda burst their bubble of serenity... He was sitting up in the bed when a tawny Owl flew through the open window and dropped  the letter in his lap. He opened it and read slowly. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Remus, </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Kingsley has visited me, and told me everything. We will be coming to the hospital this afternoon, Myself and Teddy that is. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Remus I don’t want to upset you, but are you sure it is Sirius? It could be someone using polyjuice potion, or - I dread to think - he could be a half life of Sirius. I talked to Ginny last week and she told me that Harry found </span>
  </em>
  <b>
    <em>The </em>
  </b>
  <em>
    <span>Deathly Hallows during his travels. She said that they were real, and that Harry may have used the resurrection stone the night of the battle. Apparently it can bring back the dead, and you know Harry would want to bring back his godfather more than anyone. I don’t mean to be harsh, but Remus we must consider this. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>We will be over at two O’clock. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Love Andromeda. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Remus reread the letter once. </span>
  <em>
    <span>You know Harry would want to bring back his godfather more than anyone. </span>
  </em>
  <span>He knew about the hallows of course. Harry had told all the Hogwarts staff and Order members everything after the battle, but he had never mentioned actually using the stone. He said he had destroyed it. Everyone had agreed that was best, and said nothing more about it. Remus briefly considered the idea that Harry had lied and kept the stone for himself, using it to bring back Sirius in secret. But it didn’t sound like something Harry would do. Harry was stronger than that. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He scratched his head and looked down at the sleeping man beside him. He smelled like Sirius. His heart was definitely beating, which meant he was alive, and Remus could usually sense unknown Magic. Sirius seemed perfectly normal, or at least as normal as he could be in his starved, bony state. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He did agree however, that it was very odd, and the possibility of Harry using the stone should be investigated. He had just decided he would write to him and ask, when another owl flew into the ward. It dropped a second note on his lap and perched on the bedside table next to the tawny owl. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Professor Lupin,</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Andromeda sent us an owl. We’ll be coming at about two O’clock I expect. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>~ Ginny </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Remus assumed this meant her and Harry, and quickly realized that the poor boy was probably in as much shock as Remus had been. Apparently Ginny had needed to write in his stead. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Remus glanced at the clock above the window and noted that it was almost noon. He got up and wandered to the desk at the end of the ward, finding two scraps of parchment and a pen there. He quickly scrawled two notes to Andromeda and Ginny, saying that two o'clock would be fine. He didn’t want to say any more just now. It was better to discuss these things in person. Remus had never been good at expressing himself in writing anyway. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He went to the lavatory to splash some water on his face and made an attempt to look presentable. It was no use. After spending three days in a hospital ward one tends to look a bit scrappy. He wished he had at least pulled on a clean pair of trousers when he had left the flat. He settled on wearing the tartan nightgown the nurse had given him over his clothes, they would just have to deal with that. He shuffled back to the end of the ward, in his sock feet, and began to tidy up the mess that had accumulated over the last four days. Sirius stirred as he moved about, and rolled onto his side. Remus quietly celebrated this achievement (Sirius had not yet been able to move himself that much) and continued tidying. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>At quarter to two, Remus thought it would be best to wake him. He had not yet stayed awake for more than thirty minutes, but Remus thought he would probably manage to stay conscious for his godson. If anything could help Sirius regain his strength it was Harry Potter. He sat on the edge of the bed and placed a hand on his shoulder, rocking him slightly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sirius, it’s time to wake up.” He stirred and grumbled slightly, but did not open his eyes. “I wouldn’t wake you, except Harry is coming in a moment, and I thought you might like to be awake for his arrival.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>This solicited a response, and Sirius opened one blue eye. Squinting against the bright afternoon light. “Harry?” Sirius mumbled rolling onto his back and throwing one arm over his eyes. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, Harry… your godson.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mmmph, I know who Harry is, you wanker.” Sirius smiled coyly from under his arm. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well he’s coming, he’ll be here in fifteen minutes.” Remus continued, getting up and pacing nervously. “And, er, he’ll probably be in a bit of shock. I think he’s just found out today.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sirius lifted his head slightly and gave Remus a funny look. </span>
  <span>“He’s only just found out today?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, er, I didn’t really think to write to anyone. I suppose I’ve been in shock too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Andromeda told him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s good.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Does it bother you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Does what bother me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That I didn’t tell anyone yet?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sirius pondered this for a moment before replying. “Well, no... I mean, it would have made sense to tell Harry right away, but it doesn’t really matter now does it?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ok.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Plus, it was good, having just you here. Resting, ya know?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I wasn’t much fun to be around the past few days.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You were alright.” Remus smiled and crawled back into bed, snaking his arms around Sirius’ middle. He pulled his bony frame up and held him tightly. They stayed like that for a while. Sirius resting his head on Remus’ shoulder and breathing deeply. Remus listened to his steady breaths, and felt comforted just hearing them. Every breath reminding him that Sirius was alive. Sirius, </span>
  <em>
    <span>his Sirius</span>
  </em>
  <span> was alive and breathing and Remus was here to experience it. He would never take him for granted again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>After a few minutes, Remus realized that Sirius had fallen asleep. He chuckled and laid him carefully back on the pillows. He thought of every time the boy had pleaded for ‘five more minutes’ in their time at Hogwarts, and decided he would let him sleep until the visitors arrived. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>***</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andromeda arrived first, bustling in with baby Teddy tied to her front with a maroon scarf. He was looking around, eyes wide with wonder at this new place. His little hairs were ginger today, and Remus wondered if one of the weasleys had been round that morning. Andromeda pulled the knot at her back loose, releasing the baby, and Remus took his son from her. Resting his tiny head on his own shoulder, and rubbing his little back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span> He was getting better at the whole dad thing. Sure, he hadn’t been around much at the very beginning, and he had practically abandoned the boy for nearly a month now, but with every visit he found it easier. He was starting to understand the little signs that meant he was hungry, or tired, or sometimes just simply bored. He felt guilty for rewarding himself on these small triumphs. He didn’t feel he deserved so much sympathy from Andromeda or anyone for that matter, but he was definitely improving. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Teddy cooed as Remus paced the ward, letting his son take in the surroundings. His hair turned mousy brown, like his father’s and Remus felt his heart swell. Teddy was starting to recognize him faster with every visit. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andromeda approached the bed where her cousin lay and her brow furrowed. She was fairly old now, not as old as one would expect a grandmother to be, but she had distinctively greying hair, and the joints in her hands were wrinkled. She still had her youth about her though, and she was very strong. Remus was thankful for this, Andromeda was Teddy’s best chance at a maternal figure, and he didn’t want his son to be completely motherless. He knew too well what that felt like. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sirius?” Andromeda spoke softly, doubt consuming her voice. Her cousin didn’t stir, he was probably well into a dream by now. Remus stepped forward and shook his shoulder again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sirius, Andromeda is here.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sirius blinked, then opened his eyes properly. “Sorry, must’a nodded off.” He grumbled, then looked around the room, his eyes falling on his cousin almost immediately. He smiled sleepily. “Dromeda!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andromeda stared at him as if he was a stranger. She did not respond immediately. Remus thought she looked almost angry.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What are you doing here?” She whispered finally, a hint of criticism in her voice.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wa…?” Sirius looked taken aback. Of course he did not expect anyone to be angry with him for coming back. He was Sirius Black, he assumed everyone would just adjust and be happy that he was alive again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You DIED.” Andromeda had recovered her voice now and she was almost shouting. Remus covered teddy’s ears and backed away slightly. “You went into the ministry three years ago and you died, so don’t show up here and expect me to celebrate. Either you’re not really here or you faked your own death, and honestly I don’t know which is worse.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Woah, woah, woah, I did not fake my own death! Why would I do that?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know Sirius, it sounds like exactly the kind of sick prank you would pull.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sirius looked extremely hurt by this, hanging his head and looking only at his hands. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t fake my own death.” He said quietly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Then how can you be here?” Andromeda looked exasperated. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I… it’s complicated.” Replied Sirius dully. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Remus was about to ask him to explain but at that moment Harry, Ginny, Ron and Hermione entered the ward, spotting them at once. Harry seemed to be walking alongside Ginny as if he would be incapable of movement altogether if she let go of his hand. Ron was frowning slightly, and Hermione was looking very skeptical. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hi Lupin, I hope you don’t mind us all being here.” Hermione spoke as they approached. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, no that’s fine.” he replied, not taking his eyes off Harry. “Uh, come on over.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The four teenagers shuffled round the curtain and peered curiously at the bed. Hermione looked reproachful and a tad angry, much similar to Andromeda’s expression. Harry’s mouth fell open slightly and he looked as though he might faint. Ginny just looked confused, but Ron beamed at the middle aged man and walked forward immediately. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sirius mate, good to see you alive and well!” He grasped Sirius’ hand and shook it enthusiastically. Ginny glared at her brother with a twisted expression on her face, somewhere between exasperation and shock. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ronald, my boy!” Sirius responded jauntily, as if this was exactly how he’d expected everyone to react to his resurrection. Remus had to hold back a chuckle at this. He was still just as confused as everyone else about how Sirius had come back, but after spending three days with him, he was quite confident in the belief that this was the real Sirius and he was most certainly alive. The whole situation felt a bit comical to him now. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ron, honestly.” Said Hermione, pulling him back to her side. Ron looked disgruntled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What, I’m just saying hi. Have some manners ‘mione!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Hermione crossed her arms and looked directly at Sirius. “Hello Mr. Black.” She said in a ‘I would rather not be talking to you’ sort of voice. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mr. Black? Bloody hell, when did you lot get so posh?” Sirius grinned and looked round at Remus. Remus returned a cheeky smile in spite of himself. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sirius, can I ask you something?” Piped up Ginny, taking a bold step forward. Sirius seemed a little nervous about answering questions, but nodded all the same. “Are you real?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sirius laughed out loud at this but, seeing the looks on everyone's faces, he stopped abruptly and stared at Ginny. “‘Course I’m real.” He spoke seriously now. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ginny nodded absentmindedly, but didn’t seem convinced. Andromeda moved in the corner of Remus’ eye and he was sure she had just rolled her eyes. They all stood there in silence for a few moments, Teddy making small gurgles now and then. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sirius?” Said Harry finally, speaking so quietly that Remus had to strain his ears to hear. “Why did my parents pick you to be my godfather instead of Remus?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Remus gaped at Harry. Hermione and Ron shifted about uncomfortably, but Harry did not break eye contact with Sirius. He was determined to get an answer. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I… what?!” Sirius stammered. He looked as if Harry had just punched him in the gut, hurt showing in his whole face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You once told me why you had been chosen as my godfather, it’s the only thing no one else would know.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Understanding dawned on Sirius’ face and sighed a breath of relief. “Oh! I was chosen as godfather because I called dibs.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harry smiled and looked round at the others. “It’s him!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Remus did let out a laugh now, patting Sirius on the shoulder and shaking his head. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I forgot about that.” He sat down again letting Teddy sit in his lap facing him. He smiled as the tiny boy kicked his legs viciously. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harry beamed at Sirius and strode over to hug his godfather. The others didn’t seem so convinced. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Anyone could have found that out,” Said Hermione defiantly. “It’s not a very good security question, for god sakes, I’m sure Pettigrew knew that.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Pettigrew is dead.” Sirius clenched his jaw.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah but… wait how do you know that?” Everyone turned to look at Sirius. He was glaring at a point behind Hermione’s head. His eyes were gleaming with something dangerous, and the whole group held their breath. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Because I met him there.” </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The song was of course 'A Space Man Came Travelling' - Chris de Burgh.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Beyond the Veil</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <span>And the night followed day</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>And the story tellers say</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>That the score brave souls inside</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>For many a lonely day sailed across the milky seas</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Ne'er looked back, never feared, never cried</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Don't you hear my call though you're many years away</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Don't you hear me calling you</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Write your letters in the sand</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>For the day I take your hand</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>In the land that our grandchildren knew</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>The room went quiet. Remus wasn’t exactly sure what he meant, but he had a pretty good idea. Everyone except Teddy seemed to be holding their breath. Sirius had not yet said a word about this to anyone. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You… met him?” Andromeda was the first to speak. She was hovering beside Remus, as if she may decide to take Teddy and leave at any moment. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Sirius Replied darkly. “On the other side.” Hermione made a small squeak, but Sirius ignored her. Pushing the dark hair out of his eyes and looking around at them all. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I did die, that much is true. That veil, it separates the living world from the dead. I fell through during the battle, and when I got to the other side I was stuck. The archway was solid stone when I looked back, and I could hear Harry calling for me, but I couldn’t figure out how to come back. I’m sorry Harry, I tried my very best, I did.” He looked at his godson with a distinct sadness in his eyes. “It wasn’t much fun at first, I just sat there in the dark, waiting for something to happen. But then I heard another voice. I thought it was Harry’s at first, but after a while I realized it was James!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Everyone was listening intently, even Teddy seemed to have sensed the importance of Sirius’ words and had fallen silent. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I turned around, and I realized there was this staircase behind me, in a sort of tunnel. I knew I was meant to climb it then. Something told me I had to go see what was at the top.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Something?” Remus cut in.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Like a voice in my head.” Sirius supplied. “Only it wasn’t a voice, more of a feeling.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ok”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Anyway,” Sirius continued gruffly. “I walked up this staircase and when I got to the top I met your dad.” He nodded at Harry. “Bloody sight for sore eyes, he was. Same old James, laughing and making jokes as always, then it suddenly occurred to me that James was supposed to be dead. I don’t know how I had forgotten, my head was all funny </span>
  <em>
    <span>there. </span>
  </em>
  <span>I kept losing track of time, sometimes it felt like I’d been there for years, sometimes I thought I must've just arrived. I think it was just me though, cuz I remember asking Lily about it once or twice and she just thought I was being dramatic or something. S’pose she would think that.” Sirius paused and smiled to himself. Remus looked over at Harry who was hanging on his godfather’s every word, drinking in any new information about his parents. Sirius looked at Harry too, his eyes glinting, then continued. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t think anyone suspected that I wasn’t fully dead. They talked to me about what was going on in the living world a lot, but I could never see anything to do with you lot. Everything was always blurry there,  mostly emotions, none of the boring in between things. - In the afterlife that is.” He added, upon seeing the confused looks on everyone’s faces. “I’m pretty sure that’s where I was. How else would I have seen James and Lily? They told me to send their love by the way.” He looked pointedly at Harry then to Remus, as if being ‘sent love’ from beyond the grave was a perfectly normal thing to occur. “And Remus, I saw Marlene and Yaz.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>A shiver ran down Remus’ spine. He had not thought about Marlene and Yaz in a very long time. It sometimes felt as though their deaths were more painful to think about than any of the others. They had not needed to die. Their deaths had not been noble, or significant. They had been snuffed out quietly, so unlike their outspoken, loud presence in life. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You saw them?” Said Remus shakily. He didn’t like the way Sirius was telling his story, as if everything was perfectly normal and alright. As if talking about their dead friends was a cheery subject.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, sort of. I don’t know if I would call it ‘seeing’ exactly. It’s kind of hard to describe. It’s more like I met them… I sensed their presence, if you will.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Remus was beginning to get agitated. Why was Sirius being so insufferably arrogant? Couldn’t he see that none of this made any sense? Did he really expect them to believe this rubbish about seeing the afterlife? He got up and paced beside the bed, handing Teddy over to Andromeda, and folding his arms. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Look Moony, I know it doesn’t make much sense, but I swear I’m telling the truth.” Sirius started, noticing the change in Remus’ mood. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Lupin…” Said Hermione hesitantly. “I, I think he </span>
  <em>
    <span>is</span>
  </em>
  <span> telling the truth.” Remus spun around. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How would you know?” He snapped. Hermione looked distinctly put off by Remus’ bluntness, but pressed on.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I read this book…” She began. Ron scoffed and rolled his eyes.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Honestly Hermione. Do you really think a book can explain the afterlife?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes I do actually,” Hermione continued determinedly. “because in the book I read, there were all these accounts from people who had died and then been resurrected.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hermione, resurrection is not actually possible, haven’t we learned that from all this bloody Hallows nonsense this past year?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m not talking about magic, I’m talking about Muggles.” Everyone stared at her blankly, only Remus seemed to understand what she was talking about. He too had heard about people being brought back to life in muggle hospitals. Not in a strange, frankenstein way, just that their hearts sometimes stopped, and the nurses had found ways of starting them back up again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Look,” Said Hermione. “Muggles have ways of bringing people back to life directly after they’ve died. They send these electric shocks into their chests, and if they are quick enough, sometimes the patient's heart will start beating again. They’ve done it to loads of people, and a lot of these people have all these strange memories from when they were dead, or nearly dead I suppose.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andromeda was nodding along now, she knew the muggle world quite well, and must have heard about some of their medical practices. Hermione seemed encouraged by this, and continued. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I remember reading a lot of stories saying these people remember seeing rooms, or places they didn’t recognize, but it always emphasized that mostly they remembered feelings. I’m sure this must be similar. If muggles can go to the afterlife and come back then I’m sure anyone can.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Remus felt a rush of adrenaline. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Yes. </span>
  </em>
  <span>That made sense when he thought about it. Plenty of people were able to glimpse the afterlife, that was practically a well known fact, so perhaps that was what had happened to Sirius. He had gone through the veil, but maybe the veil wasn’t true death. People always referred to it as the doorway between the worlds, but maybe it was only that, a doorway. You could get in </span>
  <em>
    <span>and </span>
  </em>
  <span>out, if you knew how. Maybe that’s why they were so keen to keep it a secret in the department of mysteries. The knowledge that one could travel freely between the worlds of the living and the dead was enough to drive anyone mad. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Pads, how did you get back?” Remus stopped his pacing, and stared at Sirius, trying to communicate the urgency of his question.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh… yeah I was getting to that.” Sirius looked furtively around at the group before continuing his story. “Like I said, it was all a jumble up there. A lot of emotions, a lot of people I’d missed. Anyway, everything was fine, I was quite enjoying myself actually, then one day (or night I really have no idea) I felt this strange feeling. It wasn’t like any of the other feelings, It was stronger, and it wasn’t like love or happiness, it was this pulling feeling. I suppose it felt a bit like longing, or a broken heart or something. I’d almost forgotten what that felt like, and I just knew that I had to go find that staircase again - the one I’d come in through. I knew it was time to go back, like I’d just needed the right reason all along. Death tried to stop me, he tried to hold me back and keep me there, but I told him I had to leave and then I just sort of... walked out. That’s when I ended up back in the department of mysteries.” He stopped talking, but no one else made a sound. Remus’ head was spinning as he tried to process everything Sirius had just relayed to them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Remus, I think it was you.” Sirius spoke again, quietly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Remus looked back blankly at him. “What was me?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The feeling. The thing that pulled me back here. I think I knew you needed me somehow. I think you were supposed to come join me, but when you didn’t I had to come back. That’s why death was so angry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Angry?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He didn’t want me to leave, he wanted you to come join him instead.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Remus just stared at Sirius. His mind was blank. He didn’t exactly know what he had expected, maybe he had known it would be something like this all along, but either way it was all quite overwhelming and Remus sat at the bedside again. Resting his face in his hands. Nobody spoke for a very long time. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve been to the afterlife.” Harry cut through the deafening silence. “When Voldemort killed me, well not really all the way to the after life, but I sort of, er, met Dumbledore there.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Everyone stared at him in awe. He had never told anyone about what happened when he went to face Voldemort that night, as far as Remus knew. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know what you mean about time being funny, and about things being more emotions than real.” He was talking directly to Sirius now. ‘Of course’ thought Remus, Trust Harry and Sirius to bond over something as far fetched as visiting the bloody afterlife’.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sirius nodded solemnly and Harry went on. “When I was there, I was in a sort of train station. I think... I mean it was only there when I looked for it, like my surroundings just appeared as soon as I wondered where I was. And Dumbledore talked to me. He told me things. Things I wouldn’t have known without him telling me. I’m sure it was really him.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes people told me things too.” Said Sirius nodding his shaggy head. “Things I could never have imagined.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>There was a pause. Remus Shuddered. What had he seen there?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ok… so you’ve both been to the afterlife, and now your back.” Said Ron, slowly processing everything. “But Harry you were only in the afterlife for a minute or so right? I mean that seems alright, but how could Sirius come back after three years, wouldn’t his body be decayed or something?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harry shook his head slowly. “I don’t know, I suppose it must have something to do with the veil.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, the veil.” Said Sirius. “We all know the veil is a doorway to the afterlife, but it must have some sort of magical properties that allows anyone who enters, to also leave by it.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Everyone seemed to be nodding along, deep in thought. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But, why has no one returned before?” Said Andromeda. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, there’s only one person to ever go through it before me in recorded history!” Sirius replied. “And it’s not as if it was easy getting back, It took three years didn’t it? I think you need to really want to come back badly to be able to open the archway again.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well wouldn’t everyone want to come back?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No,” Said Sirius, suddenly solemn. “You don’t understand, it’s easier there. Nicer. It’s like … like a vacation that you never get bored of.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So ...why did you come back?” Said Ginny in a low voice. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Like I said, It was Remus. And Harry too. One day, James and Lily disappeared for a bit, and when they came back they said they’d been to see you, Harry, and that’s when it started. After that I started to remember all the reasons I needed to get back through the veil, I started to believe I could, and I think just believing was enough.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“The day of the battle.” Said Harry flatly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, must have been… how did you know?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You said my parents left.” Harry replied plainly. “They left because they were with me. I summoned them that night, with the stone.” He looked at his feet gingerly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Nobody said anything for a long time, until Remus finally decided to speak. He had questions. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Harry… I thought you said you destroyed the stone.” He said hesitantly, trying not to sound too accusatory. Had Andromeda been right? If he had summoned his parents, had he also summoned Sirius?</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I… I didn't destroy it... I mean - ” He raised his voice slightly, seeing the look of horror on Remus and Andromeda’s faces. “I mean I only used it once, to see my parents, before I.. you know… before I died. And I wanted to summon Sirius too, but for some reason he didn’t come. And after I was done with it, I just sort of threw it into the woods. It’s not destroyed, but it’s just in with the other stones now. It’s safe in the forest.” He looked round at them all. “I didn’t want anyone to know, I thought it would be safer if everyone thought it was gone.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, that’s wise Harry.” Remus was looking at Ron as he said this, sure that the Weasley boy’s eyes had lit up at the mention of the stone being in the forbidden forest. “We should all agree to never speak of that particular fact again.” The group nodded silently, in agreement. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Then Ginny spoke again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sirius… you say you returned the night Harry’s parents left, but the battle of Hogwarts was a month ago.” She said eyeing the skinny man. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah,” Said Sirius darkly. “I was trapped in that room for ages.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“For a Month!?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sirius nodded, his eyes becoming unfocused and angry. Remus cringed. He couldn’t bear to think about his poor Padfoot curled up in a dark chamber for almost an entire month. How hard it must have been for him, to be locked up again, after all he had been through. And to have that veil in there with him all the time, taunting him. Whispering to him - begging him to go back. Not to mention the fact that he was probably starving in there, and likely only had water from his wand, if he could even conjure it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He put a steady hand on Sirius’ shoulder and tried to tell him without words, how grateful he was. He had come back for Remus. He had fought death himself, just because Remus had needed him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He knew now, why Sirius had come back . He remembered the night of the battle more clearly than before. After everything was over. When he had seen Tonks’ body. He had run into the forest, the wolf in him wanting an escape. He had run and run until he had collapsed, and he had cried. Hunched up against a large tree, he had sobbed himself dry. And then he had begun to pray, the way Matron had taught him when he was a boy. He didn’t know why he had done it. He didn’t even believe in that sort of thing. But he had sat there and found himself praying - praying that Sirius could be with him. He felt guilty that he was not praying for Nyphadora, but something deep inside him had known that she could not come back. No, it was Sirius he had yearned for that day. Deep in the forbidden forest, the place where he and his three best friends had spent so many wondrous nights together, running and gallivanting through the trees. A stag, a rat, a wolf and a big black dog. Remus longed for his big black dog. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He had thought of Sirius for who knows how long. He had spoken out to the night, calling him. Wanting more than ever to join him, but never summoning the courage to do what had to be done. The thought of his son had kept him painfully bound to life. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>In the end it was Firenze who found him, curled up beneath the old oak tree, in a half sleep. The Centaur had carried him back to the castle, and it had been Madame Pomfrey - of course - who set him right. She had held him in her arms, just like when he was a boy, and she had rocked him back and forth, telling him that everything would be alright. It had been her who insisted he see his son the next day, and Teddy had brought just enough light back to his life in order for him to keep going. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>But he knew that Teddy wouldn't be enough all on his own. Remus hated himself for thinking that, but he understood now. Sirius was the only person left who would be enough to piece him back together again. That’s why he had come back that night. The night when everything left in Remus’ life had shattered, and Sirius had felt it. Their love was enough to breach even the laws of death. Remus breathed deeply, and smiled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He looked around at the group for a moment, but decided it didn’t matter. He grabbed Sirius’ face and leaned him to kiss him. It was the only way he knew how to express his feelings in that moment, and what did it matter if everyone saw? He was tired of keeping secrets. Sirius was surprised, but quickly adjusted and relaxed into the kiss. When they parted everyone was staring at them, shocked and slightly uncomfortable. Sirius just grinned at them.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well you didn’t think I would come back from the dead for this tosser just because we were friends did you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Andromeda smiled and shook her head. Hermione and Ginny exchanged amused glances, but Ron and Harry looked dumbfounded. Ron opened and closed his mouth several times, trying to voice something, but failing miserably. Harry just blinked at his old professor and his godfather, utterly confused. Poor boy had no clue what had just happened. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Harry.” Said Ginny lightly, placing a soft hand on his shoulder and looking mildly entertained. “Are you ok?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I… wa? Yeah of course, i’m fine.” he shook his head. “Uh, this is, erm, just surprising.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry.” Said Remus. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, no. Don’t apologize, I just, uh, wasn’t expecting it, is all.” Harry scrambled to find the words he was looking for. He had turned bright red. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’ll get used to it,” Said Sirius cheerfully. “You’re dad did.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harry seemed taken aback by this, but said nothing. His cheeks flushed a deeper shade of pink and he sat himself in the chair by the window. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>At that moment Teddy made a loud cry, bringing them all back to reality. Andromeda explained that he needed his nappy changed and strode off to find a changing station. Sirius seemed to notice the baby for the first time now and looked curiously after his cousin. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who is that little tyke anyway?” He asked, making Remus’ insides turned. He didn’t want to tell him yet. It felt odd trying to tell the love of his life that in the three short years he had been dead, Remus had managed to marry his second cousin (not to mention</span>
  <em>
    <span> a woman</span>
  </em>
  <span>) and have a baby with her. No, now was not the time to reveal this. He answered quickly before any of the others had the chance. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s Andromeda’s grandson.” He said, giving the others a pointed look. Hermione and Ginny seemed to understand, and Ron was still standing speechless. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dora had a baby!?” Cried Sirius incredulously. “Blimey I missed a lot.” He was grinning, but suddenly his face turned somber again. “Wait… but Dora is, Dora’s -” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Dora’s dead.” Remus interrupted. “Yes.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sirius took a deep breath and they listened to the soft sounds of teddy cooing for several seconds. “Poor kid.” He said after a moment. Nobody responded. There was nothing left to say. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The song was Queen of course - '39 - from A Night At The Opera. </p><p>If anyone has good playlists for Wolfstar song inspiration please give me the link!! Finding new songs can be so difficult.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Home Again</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Not a lot going on in this chapter. Mostly just establishing Sirius' return, and cute domestic wolfstar :) <br/>The plot will start pretty soon but it's gonna be a hella slow burn just a warning. </p><p>Thanks to everyone who's reading! It's very motivating. &lt;3</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <span>How long will I love you?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>As long as there are stars above you</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>And longer if I can</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>How long will I need you?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>As long as the seasons need to</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Follow their plan</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>How long will I be with you?</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>As long as the sea is bound to</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>wash upon the sand</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>---</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>Everyone left after that, and even Andromeda seemed satisfied that Sirius was, in fact, alive, and not some imposter or ‘half life’. Nobody really understood how it could be possible, but they supposed they didn’t really need to know. Sirius was alive, and that’s all that mattered. It was a magic far beyond anything they could understand. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kingsley came back the next day, but brought only one Witch with him this time. They sat by Sirius’ bed and asked him to retell his story. Sirius didn’t tell them everything he had said the previous day, but his story seemed to satisfy them, and the young witch looked very excited by the prospect that people could exit the veil. Remus wondered if perhaps they should have kept the whole thing a secret. This worried him for a while but eventually he put it to the back of his mind. No one would be stupid enough to go through the veil just to see if they could get a peek. Ministry officials knew better than to play with such complicated magic as death. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>***</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sirius was released from hospital three days after the big visit, and Remus went on ahead to clean up the flat. He didn’t want Sirius seeing what a state the place was in. He hadn’t cleaned since the battle and there were empty whiskey bottles and old beer cans everywhere. When he was finished cleaning he decided to nip out to the shop for some food - there was nothing in. He bought all the essentials at the shop, and when he went to pay he spotted the chocolates by the till. He bought two Mars bars, one for him, and one for Sirius (Plus a few Milky ways for later). </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When he had put all the food away, and was satisfied with the cleanliness of the flat, he apparated back to the hospital to collect Sirius. The nurse gave him a list of vitamins to collect, and a large bottle with some greenish potions swimming around inside, instructing him to feed this to Sirius twice a day. Remus nodded in understanding and strode over to the end of the ward. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey Moony.” Sirius lit up when he spotted his boyfriend strolling in. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hey Padfoot.” Remus grinned back. He couldn’t have been happier. They were going home, at last. And more importantly Sirius was well again, and they were </span>
  <em>
    <span>together. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“Got anything exciting planned for my first day of freedom?!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Remus paused. “Uh, Sirius you should really be resting.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Humph.” Sirius sulked like a puppy. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Come on then.” Remus rolled his eyes and pulled Sirius to his feet. He was not wearing shoes, but Remus supposed that didn’t matter. “Will you be alright to sidealong?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sirius nodded and slung and an arm around Remus’ shoulder. They walked slowly down the hallway and thanked the kind medi-witch on the way out. They stepped out onto the street and Remus turned on the spot, channeling the magic around him to lead them back to their little Soho flat. Sirius was a bit out of breath when they arrived, but otherwise unscathed. Remus put the key in the door and pushed it open. The scrappy middle aged man positively beamed as they entered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>***</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Three hours later they were sitting down to eat their dinner on the couch. Two large plates of pasta and meatballs in their laps. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No TV.” Remarked Sirius. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No.” Said Remus. “Got rid of it after…” He trailed off.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I thought you liked the TV.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Remus sighed. How could Sirius understand? He had never been the one left behind, he had always been the one who left. “I just couldn’t look at it anymore. It reminded me of you.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sirius looked distinctly offended by this.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, not like that.” Remus laughed despite himself. “It’s just that every time I started watching it, all I could hear was your voice in my head saying ‘Tv is a bloody waste of time and it will melt all your brain cells’” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sirius smiled “Yeah, well it is.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Piss off.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Always the same old Moony.” Sirius shook his head, still smiling. “Never admitting I’m right.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“When have you ever been right?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I - … loads of times.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They both broke out into raucous laughter and the rest of the night was spent reminiscing. Talking about all the wondrous pranks they had pulled in their years at Hogwarts and all the trouble they had gotten up to, sometimes in broom closets. They talked about all the times Sirius had buggered up a plan, and laughed at the bright memories. They talked about James too, they had never done that before. They always told stories of James to Harry, but it had been too painful to mention him in private. Something was different now. Maybe it was because the war was over, maybe it was something else, in any case it was easier now. They talked of their friend for a very long time, celebrating his triumphs and giggling at his ludicrousy. It was nice, talking about their childhoods after all these years. It felt like opening all the windows on the first spring day, letting all the warm fresh air pour back into the house, warming the cold stale rooms. It was </span>
  <em>
    <span>good</span>
  </em>
  <span>. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Night fell around them as they talked and eventually they were curled up on one side of the couch, Sirius lying in the crook of Remus’ arm breathing softly. It was peaceful and quiet in the little flat. Everything was calm, and Remus felt more relaxed than he had in years. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Moony?” Sirius whispered softly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Padfoot?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Tell me a secret.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Remus took a deep breath. Yes, there it was. The question he had been dreading. He knew there was only one secret to tell Sirius now. He couldn’t lie to him any longer. The one big secret. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ok.” He said, propping himself up a bit. “Ok, I’ll tell you a secret.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sirius had shuffled up now, looking very curious. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This may come as a shock.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh, alright.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know that kid, the one who came to the ward the other day?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, Tonks’ kid, Teddy right?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah… um, yeah, so...” Remus paused, taking another long breath. “He’s my son.” </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Sirius fell off the couch. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>***</span>
</p><p>
  <span>May 31st 1998</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So… you married Tonks… and then you had a baby together… and this is him.” It had been a whole day since Remus had told him, but Sirius was a bit slow on the uptake.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This child is made out of Moony and </span>
  <em>
    <span>my cousin</span>
  </em>
  <span>.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Remus wrinkled his nose and let out a laugh. “Well you don’t have to put it like that.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He had expected Sirius to be mad, shout even. It would have made more sense to Remus if he had been disgusted and angry, but Sirius had been very civil about the whole thing. He had asked a lot of questions at first, wondering why Remus had married a woman mostly, but he did not seem to mind that it had been Tonks. Once the initial shock had worn off he had insisted on seeing the child properly. Remus had written to Andromeda the next morning and now here they were, parked in the Tonks’ living room, with Sirius bouncing Teddy on his lap. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He’s perfect.” Said Sirius adoringly, as the baby let out a small giggle. “He’s just wondrous!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>At that moment Teddy made a small squeak and his hair changed from mousy brown, to a velvety black. Sirius gave a start. Then, realizing what had just happened, his face split into an ever wider grin, if that was even possible. He wheeled round to look at Remus, and fumbled for words to describe his excitement.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes,” Said Remus “I forgot to tell you that bit. He got that from Tonks.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“This is amazing! What else can he do?” Sirius was prodding at the baby curiously. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We haven’t noticed much else yet, he mostly just changes his hair. I think Andromeda said he grew his eyelashes longer once, and George swore he saw him change his ears to dog’s ears, but there’s no proof of that.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hmm, maybe I could give him some visualization to help…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sirius…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What!? It might help him remember how to do it! No fair that George got to see without me.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“My son is not a toy.” Said Remus, but he was still smiling. Sirius just smirked and returned his attention to the baby, pulling funny faces and making him laugh. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He was good with kids, a lot better than Remus was. Remus remembered that from when Harry was young. Sirius had always been the one to stop him crying when no one else could, and he had never gotten overwhelmed when Lily left them to babysit. Remus had been lousy with Harry. Babies just didn’t seem to like him, well until now that is. Teddy had always been fairly happy with Remus so far. When he was around, at least. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Look I think he’s just grown a moustache!” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>***</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What’s his middle name?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hmm?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Teddy, what’s his middle name?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh uh, it’s Remus.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who chose that? That's a rubbish name.” Sirius smirked. It was evening now, and they were sitting up in bed. Remus was reading a long book about the second muggle world war, and Sirius was doing everything he could to distract him. This wasn’t a difficult task, as the book was beginning to get rather boring. Remus stretched, and put his book on the bedside table, leaning  over and clicking off the lamp. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Blame Dora. I said we should call him Teddy Tonks.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well that doesn’t sort out the middle name problem.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not everyone needs a middle name.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Of course they do.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ok.” Remus didn’t feel like bickering, he was too tired. Instead he scooted closer to Sirius and pulled the covers over their shoulders, settling in and closing his eyes. Sirius followed suit, but a moment later he was babbling again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“If he had been our kid, what would you have named him?” He spoke softly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sirius, it’s physically impossible for us to have a child.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah I know, but say we could.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Remus sighed, and rolled onto his back, thinking for a moment. “I’d call him Snuffles Padfoot Lupin.” He smirked in the darkness. Sirius poked his ribs. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, really. Be serious.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“But I can’t be serious I’m Rem- ”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mooonnyy.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Pads I really don’t know what I would call him. I’d probably just let you pick.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Coz, you’re better at that sort of thing.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ok, ok...I think I would name him Teddy ...Remus ...Lupin. Yeah that is actually quite good to be fair”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well it’s a good thing we’ve already got one of those, isn’t it?.” Remus chuckled rolling to face his partner again. He had never heard Sirius talking about having children before. A couple years ago he would probably have been terrified at any mention of them, but now that he had Teddy everything was different. He felt his heart swell every time Sirius started talking about the baby, silently adoring the way he rambled on. He had been so worried that it would be awkward, that Sirius would find it strange that Remus had a child. They had never discussed having children during the war, and it was ridiculous to even think about that when Sirius had returned from azkaban. But now it felt right, Sirius was calm and somehow more balanced than Remus had remembered. The light in his eyes was back, and he seemed to be brimming with youthful energy - even in his starved, frail state. He seemed as excited about Teddy’s existence as he had been about Harry’s eighteen years ago, if that was even possible. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah…We.” Sirius said after a moment. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What?” Remus’ thoughts returned to the conversation. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Just… We. You said ‘good thing </span>
  <em>
    <span>we’ve </span>
  </em>
  <span>already got Teddy.’” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, whatever. So what?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nevermind.” Sirius shook his head and pulled the blankets over his shoulder somewhat sulkily. “Goodnight.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait, Sirius… I didn’t mean that. I’m sorry.” Remus wrapped his arms around him. Sirius raised his head from the pillow and looked at him through the darkness. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s ok… you don’t have to -” Sirius started. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No I do. I want it to be better now.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Me too Moony. It will be.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good.” Remus took Sirius’ bony hands in his and pulled them to his lips. “Because I meant what I said. It’s </span>
  <em>
    <span>we… </span>
  </em>
  <span>all of it. Especially with Teddy” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ok.” Sirius whispered. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I love you too.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>***</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The next two and a half weeks were spent in blissful relaxation. Sirius recovered slowly every day, regaining his strength piece by piece. Remus did his best to feed him well, and even went so far as to cook a roast dinner one night. The full moon fell on the tenth that June and although Sirius insisted on coming along, Remus forbade him. He wasn’t entirely sure that Padfoot would be strong enough to fight a werewolf yet, and he didn’t want anything to happen. But it was still nice to have someone there who understood him when he got back. Sirius was able to mend his cuts and bruises much better than he could do himself, and they lay holed up together in domestic bliss for the entirety of the following day. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When Sirius was strong enough to walk they started going on outings. Apparating to various countrysides and going for strolls, through the bluebell forest, into little towns with quaint little shops, round tiny little islands. They went wherever they felt like going, and talked until neither of them could go another step. They visited Teddy almost every other day, and even spent a few lovely afternoons at the Weasleys. Harry was overjoyed to have Sirius back, and the two of them would talk secretively in corners every time they got together. Supposedly ‘catching up’. Sirius became more energetic with every passing day, he barely ever needed naps any more, and he was quickly regaining weight. A nurse came to check up on him a few times, and they were very pleased with his progress. Remus felt extremely comforted by this. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>On the 24th of June, Kingsley came to call again. He sent a letter ahead and arrived in the early afternoon. Remus and Sirius were just about to start a game of chess when the knock came on the door. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ll get it.” Sirius got up with some effort and strode over to the doorway. “Kingsley! Welcome to our humble abode!” He said merrily, swinging the door open. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kingsley stepped in and gave a polite smile, looking around the room curiously. Sirius led him to the large armchair and offered him a biscuit. He declined politely and Sirius settled down on the couch next to Remus. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right, I’ve got news.” Said Kingsley looking directly at Sirius.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Good news I hope.” Sirius’ leg shook slightly and Remus put a hand on his knee to calm him. They had been waiting to hear about his pardon for weeks. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes. Good news.” Said Kinglsey. They both relaxed immediately. Kingsley went on. “We had a bit of trouble convincing the gringotts goblins to let you back in your vault at first, but other than that everything went smoothly. Arthur Weasley and myself had a meeting with the entire wizengamot, explaining the truth, and getting you your pardon, and the Daily Prophet will be printing the whole story tomorrow morning. We weren’t sure how to explain how you had come back from the dead, but we decided it was best to just say you had never died and it was a mistake.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh alright… do you think people will believe that?” Said Sirius reproachfully. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve got my best writers on the job, and I told them to make it sound convincing.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright then.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So,” Kingsley sat up and straightened his robes a bit. “That’s all, except, Remus I was wondering if you might have a word with the press? There are quite a few people who would like to hear from you.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“People want to hear from me!?” Remus couldn’t really believe that. Anyone in the wizarding word who knew him now knew that he was a werewolf. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, you’re sort of the talk of the town right now. After fighting in the last battle and finishing off Greyback.” Kingsley raised an eyebrow. “And now, being the old school friend of a mass murderer, the man who was wrongfully accused of the crime, </span>
  <em>
    <span>and</span>
  </em>
  <span> Harry Potter’s father, you’re quite an interesting subject of conversation.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Remus stared at the carpet. He didn’t want to be known for those things. He didn’t want people recognizing him in public and asking him questions about Pettigrew and Black for the rest of his life. “No,” He replied bluntly. “I don’t want to talk to the Daily Prophet.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Kingsley seemed to hear the finality in his voice, and didn’t press the matter. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright, well then I suppose that’s all. Sirius, good to see you’re on the mend. Remus’ pleasure as always.” Kingsley stood up and shook both their hands. Remus saw him out and they bid a polite goodbye. When he had gone Remus turned back to the living room and plonked himself down next to Sirius excitedly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s over!” He said breathlessly. “It’s all over! You’re free.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m free.” Sirius smiled and stared off into the fire. “Only took twelve years of imprisonment and a visit to the after life.” He was joking, but Remus felt a pang in his heart, and pulled him into a tight hug, kissing his cheeks and neck, all the way into his soft hair. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s all over now. We can start again.” He said reassuringly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We can start again.” Sirius repeated, a soft smile creeping over his face. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They went to bed early that night and slept particularly well. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>***</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Remus awoke early the next morning. It was a grey day in London, hot and muggy from the heavy cloud cover. Remus shifted out of bed and opened the small bedroom window. He leaned out and began to smoke. There was no view from this window, just the brick wall of the apartment next door, but you could see a sliver of the main street up the alleyway. Remus watched as people walked briskly past the gap in the buildings heading to work, or perhaps something more exciting. He liked watching people go about their lives, it was calming, and it was always fairly interesting in London with so many people. Always something dramatic going on on the street below. Today was a Thursday, but it was summer so there was not the usual throng of students running round frantically. Remus puffed on his cigarette and started to make up stories in his head about each person he saw walking by. He hadn’t done that in a while, not since Sirius had gone to Azkaban.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He saw a very old man wearing a deerstalker hat and amused himself with the idea of an old Sherlock Holmes still tottering about the London streets, solving mysteries at a slowed pace. He smiled to himself. What a funny idea. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>As he watched he saw something else that caught his attention. Two young men turned and walked slowly up the lane </span>
  <em>
    <span>hand in hand.</span>
  </em>
  <span> They looked to be about twenty three or so, and one of them wore his hair in a severe buzzcut. It suited him though, it almost looked cute. The shorter boy had a thick denim jacket, long soft brown hair, and wore circular sunglasses. Remus watched them with interest as they wandered up the lane. They stopped in front of the neighbouring house, and the shorter boy stood up on the step of the little wooden porch. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you want to come in for some breakfast?” They talked in low voices, but there was not much traffic and Remus’ canine hearing kicked into gear immediately.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nah, I should be gettin' back.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Or you could stay.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>The other boy paused thinking, then leaned in for a kiss.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well I suppose I could...”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>At that moment, Remus’ cigarette slipped from between his fingers and floated to the ground. <em>Damn</em>. The movement must have caught the shorter boys’ attention, because he looked up and spotted Remus leaning out of the window spying. He tugged on his boyfriend’s sleeve, looking pointedly up at Remus. The boy with the buzzcut turned and looked up too. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oi, what’choo lookin at?” He called up to the window. Remus froze. He really didn’t want to bother them, he had half a mind to just shut the window and hide. But he didn’t want to come off as creepy either so he put up a hand in surrender and called back.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry lads, as you were.” </span>
  <span>He retreated back inside and pulled the window closed, hoping they wouldn’t think he was some kind of pervert. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Who was that?” Sirius was awake.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No one, just a couple of young lads in the lane.” Remus tried to brush off the odd, sticky feeling that was creeping over him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Young lads?” Sirius raised an eyebrow. “What were they yelling about.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Nothing I just… well I was accidentally spying on them.” Remus confessed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How do you accidentally spy on someone?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was just smoking and they appeared.” Remus paced the room, agitated.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well what was there to be spying on anyway?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Remus paused. “They were, er… having a private moment.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sirius’ face split into a grin. “Oh I see.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I feel so slimy. They probably think I'm a right creep.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh calm down I’m sure they’re fine.” Sirius waved a hand and pushed himself up in bed. "It's the middle of the morning, you're allowed to look out your own window."</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, I s’pose.” Remus straightened the duvet on the bed distractedly and then wandered out to the kitchen. He put the kettle on and stood there blankly for a moment. He let himself ponder what he had seen in the lane. It was nice really, he thought. The boys had been very sweet, and although Remus thoroughly regretted being caught, he was glad he had heard them. It made him feel an odd warmth in his heart. The boys had reminded him of himself and Sirius when they were young. Walking up that same lane, holding hands as they made their final steps to the house. They had been so much more secretive then. It made him happy to know that these boys had the courage to shout at him. Perhaps he would go over for a neighbourly visit later, was that weird? Perhaps he was being senile. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The song was 'How Long Will I Love You' by the Waterboys. It's a really cute song, 10/10 recommend for listening and thinking about Wolfstar. </p><p>I hope you liked this chapter, I will be posting another one very soon. </p><p>There will be a plot eventually, I hope this stuff is not too boring, but I figure there's no harm in having some solid happy Moony and Padfoot content. :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0005"><h2>5. Cornwall</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Sirius is up and about, and planning big things for the family! </p><p>This one is mostly just cute :) </p><p>Also if you've never been to Cornwall I highly suggest looking at some pictures, it is such a pretty place, and I'm not sure I trust myself to do it justice in my descriptions, but here we go.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em> Wouldn't it be nice if we were older? </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Then we wouldn't have to wait so long </em>
</p><p>
  <em> And wouldn't it be nice to live together </em>
</p><p>
  <em> In the kind of world where we belong? </em>
</p><p>
  <em> -- </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Wouldn't it be nice if we could wake up </em>
</p><p>
  <em> In the morning when the day is new? </em>
</p><p>
  <em> And after having spent the day together </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Hold each other close the whole night through </em>
</p><p>
  <em> -- </em>
</p><p>
  <em> You know it seems the more we talk about it </em>
</p><p>
  <em> It only makes it worse to live without it </em>
</p><p>
  <em> But let's talk about it </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Oh, wouldn't it be nice? </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Goodnight, my baby </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Sleep tight, my baby </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Goodnight, my baby </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Sleep tight, my baby </em>
</p><p> </p><p>July 6th 1998</p><p>“Arrrggg” Remus flung his arm over his face as light poured into the little bedroom. Sirius was up and about, apparently making coffee, judging by the smells wafting in from the kitchen.</p><p>“Whad’you do that fo’?</p><p>“It’s nearly ten o'clock,” Sirius replied cheerily. </p><p>“So what?”</p><p>“So, we’ve got things to do.”</p><p>“Things…to do? Sirius, are you sure James hasn’t suddenly come back to possess you?” Remus rolled over lazily. </p><p>“It’s possible.” Sirius grinned and sauntered back out to the kitchen.</p><p>Remus groaned and slid out from under the covers. He sat on the side of the bed, stretching out his aching joints for a few minutes. Age was creeping in much faster than it should, all those ruddy transformations we’re wearing down his joints. He sighed and forced himself to stand, rubbing at his hip.</p><p>“Hip bothering you again?” Sirius had come back to stand in the doorway. </p><p>“No.” Remus lied. Sirius just raised an eyebrow and returned to the kitchen once more, stirring a large bowl of batter. </p><p>“What are you doing?” Remus followed him and sat himself behind the small island. </p><p>“Making pancakes.” </p><p>“Why... what’s going on?”</p><p>He didn’t answer straight away, grinning that mischievous Sirius Black grin, and flipping his hair behind his shoulders. “We’ve got a big day today.”</p><p>“Do we?” Remus couldn’t think of why they would have a ‘big day’ planned. They had barely left the flat (except for the occasional walk and a couple visits with Teddy) for the whole two weeks that Sirius had been home. He didn’t see why that needed to change now. </p><p>“You’ll see.” Sirius remained cryptic, this bothered Remus slightly but he was too groggy to mind much. And several minutes later they were sitting at the table with a pile of questionable pancakes sitting between them. Remus eyed them skeptically. </p><p>“What did you do to them?”</p><p>“Nothing.”</p><p>“Why are they grey?”</p><p>“They taste good I promise.” </p><p>Remus put one on his plate and drowned it in syrup before tentatively trying a small bite. They weren’t bad. He quickly wolfed down six more while Sirius began to chat about his godson again. </p><p>“He’s become a right looker since last I saw him. Just like Prongs. A lot more confident than before too, got a bit more spring in his step. I reckon defeating the dark lord must do wonders for the ego! He’s carrying on the Potter legacy now too.”</p><p>“What’s the Potter legacy?”</p><p>“Getting the angry red head girl to fall for him of course.” Sirius chuckled. </p><p> “Ginny’s not angry. And neither was Lily.” Remus felt a pang in his heart at the word <em> was. </em>It had been years, but it still hurt now and then. </p><p>“No, not angry… spunky?”</p><p>“Spunky!?” Remus snorted into his tea. </p><p>“Well I don’t know.” Sirius laughed and wiped up the spilt tea with a napkin. </p><p>“So what’s this big day you have planned then eh?” Remus pushed his plate away, and leaned back in his chair.</p><p>“No, I’m not telling. Just go clean yourself up and put on your best clothes and you’ll know soon enough.” </p><p>“Alright then, whatever you say Black.” Remus was bursting with curiosity, but he was enjoying the way Sirius’ face wriggled as he tried not to let anything slip. It was like watching a child try to hide that he’d stolen a cookie from the biscuit jar. </p><p>He went to get ready, washing himself more thoroughly than he’d done in months.. When he emerged Sirius was sitting on the couch, dressed in a posh black blazer and a new pair of trousers. He had a fancy leather shoulder bag sitting in his lap. </p><p>“What’s that for?” Remus questioned. </p><p>“You’ll see.” Sirius bit his bottom lip, forcing himself not to say any more. </p><p>“Should I be scared?” Remus was wondering how much of Sirius’ youth had come back, and if perhaps it was a little more than he’d bargained for. </p><p>“No… well I don’t think so. I think you’ll like it.”</p><p>They stepped out into the sunny morning, dressed up in their Sunday best, Sirius took Remus’ hand and apparated. It had been a long time since Remus had done side along apparition. He didn’t like it much. Sirius’ magic felt sloppier, like they were pushing their way through the very fabric of space, rather than travelling with the already existing currents. He was out of breath when they arrived. </p><p>“Are you ok?” Sirius had not released his hand. They were standing on a thin, paved street. One side was lined with thatched cottages, the other had a low wall separating the sidewalk from a small cow field. Remus breathed in and noticed a sweet salty smell on the breeze. <em> Cornwall. </em>He would know that smell anywhere. The mild seaside air brought him straight back. The summer before their seventh year. Remus had always thought of that summer and considered it to be the best week of his life - even if the memories were painful. Everything had been right with the world then. Lily, James, and Marlene had been alive and well. Peter hadn’t been a murderer. Mary had been her usual happy, talkative self. He and Sirius had been in the very beginnings of their complicated relationship. Still young and enthusiastic about everything. Remus wondered how it had all gone so wrong.</p><p>“Yeah I’m ok.” Remus took in a shaky breath. It felt odd to be back here. Something inside of him churned uncomfortably. </p><p>“Alright.” Sirius gave a sideways look at him, trying to read his expression. “Are you sure?”</p><p>“Yes, just a bit… surprised.”</p><p>“Ok… was it a bad idea coming here?”</p><p>“No. No, I just wasn’t expecting it, is all.”</p><p>“So you like it here?” Sirius looked very nervous. </p><p>“Cornwall? Yeah, I mean it’s nice... It’s uh, been a while hasn’t it?”</p><p>“Yeah.” He nodded in understanding. </p><p>“So where are we going? That pub?” Remus questioned, wondering if they would be visiting the spot they had been to on their first official date. It seemed like the sort of thing Sirius would plan for them. </p><p>“No… well we could go there later I suppose, but that’s not why we're here.” Sirius glanced up the street furtively. Remus started to become a bit anxious. He seemed out of sorts. Was something wrong? Why had they come here if not to reminisce? </p><p>They walked further up the street, past four more cottages, until they came on the house at the end of the row. It was bigger than the others, it looked like it could easily house a small bed and breakfast. It sat on the edge of a sloping field and Remus noticed that you could just spot the sea from here. There were over a dozen windows on this side of the building, all with green shutters. The roof was thatched like the rest of the houses on the street, but it stood high and proud, with several dormer windows peeking out from underneath. </p><p>Sirius had come to an obvious halt, and they were now standing directly in front of the little garden gate, staring up at the charming house. Just as Remus was about to ask what they were doing, a squat little woman came striding out of the front door. She looked to be exactly the type of woman who would run a bed and breakfast and Remus began to wonder if perhaps they we’re just here for a nice little vacation. That made sense he supposed, but it didn’t explain why Sirius was so nervous. This was a perfectly normal thing to do he thought. </p><p>“Morning! Morning! Come in dears.” The little woman beckoned them through the gate. They stepped past the low wall and into the large front garden. Sirius started up the path, leading Remus purposefully by the hand. They stepped through the front door and into the spacious bootroom. There was a small assortment of shoes stacked neatly on a little rack by the door, and lots of brightly coloured coats hanging all around the little room. Sirius and Remus took off their shoes and followed the woman into the main house. There was a small den to the right, and a staircase directly in front of them. Remus spotted a phone sitting on a little table in the hall, and briefly thought of Grant. He hadn’t called him in a very long time.  </p><p>“Right this way. Come in dears!” The little woman beckoned them past the stairway and into a large, but cozy, living room to the left. It was filled with paintings of shells and seagulls, and a few little photographs of children playing on the beach. “Have a seat, have a seat. Would you like any tea?” </p><p>“Yes please, I’ll take milk, no sugar and Remus will have four sugars please.” Sirius answered quickly for the both of them. The woman hurried off to go make it, and when she was out of sight Remus took his chance.</p><p>“Pads, what is this place?” He whispered.</p><p>“Do you like it?” Sirius responded looking around. </p><p>“Uh, it’s nice I s’pose, but what are we doing here?” </p><p>“You think it’s nice?”</p><p>“Sure, it’s a lovely place. But Sirius, why are we here?” </p><p>“We’ve come to look at the house.” Sirius was looking forward, pressing his lips together, evidently trying to keep a straight face. </p><p>“... look at it?” Remus repeated bluntly. </p><p>“Yes, Mrs. Nottingdale is selling her house, and we’re here to look at it.”</p><p>“Like… like we’re thinking of buying it!?” </p><p>“Yep.” Sirius’ face split into a wide grin and he turned to Remus. “So, do you like it!?” </p><p>“I, er, yeah it’s great. But Sirius, Cornwall is really expensive. And we already have the flat in London.”</p><p>“Well I thought it was time we moved on. Anyway don’t worry about the money, I’ve got it covered.” Sirius leaned back on the sofa nonchalantly. <em> God why did he have to be so bloody handsome all the time?  </em></p><p>“I don’t want you paying for everything.” Remus clenched his jaw. “It’s not right.”</p><p>“Why not?”</p><p>“You’re always the one paying for things and I’m… well I’m useless.”  </p><p>“Moony, I love you, but you don’t know what you’re talking about.” Sirius sat up. “It’s not like I’m out working all day. Blimey you’ve worked way more jobs than I have. Just think of it as the Black family paying us back for all the dung they put us through.” </p><p>“They didn’t put me through anything.” Remus frowned. </p><p>Sirius gaped at him. “... uh, did you forget about the whole bleeding war? Bloody hell Remus. The Black family put <em> you </em> through just as much as me, if not more.”</p><p>“Not more.”</p><p>“Ok, not more, but still… enough.” He looked around the room thoughtfully. </p><p>Remus considered the room again. He liked it well enough, it was a lovely house really, but he didn’t understand why Sirius wanted to move. They had always lived in London, that flat had been Remus’ first proper home outside of school, and he found it difficult to imagine living anywhere else. </p><p> “I thought you liked living in London.” Remus asked quietly. </p><p>“I do, but Remus, London is no place to raise a child.” Sirius bit his lip, smiling and watching his partner for some sign of approval.  </p><p>Remus’ face split into a wide grin and he beamed at his lovely boyfriend, his heart bursting out of his chest. He wanted to move here <em> for Teddy. </em>  </p><p>“Here you are!” Mrs. Nottingdale came bustling back into the living room with a tray of tea and biscuits. She set it down on the oak coffee table and began to pour out the cups. “Four sugars you say?” She looked up at Remus. </p><p>“Uh, actually make it five. You only live once eh?” Remus was in very high spirits now. The woman gave him a half amused, half judging look, and promptly plopped five sugar cubes into the mug of brown liquid. </p><p>She handed them each their respective cups and sat herself down in a squashy armchair by the hearth. </p><p>“Sorry, Mr. Lupin. I must have forgotten my manners. I’m Agnes Nottingdale.” </p><p>“Nice to meet you, please, call me Remus.” </p><p>“Remus, very nice to meet you.” </p><p>It seemed that Sirius had already met Agnes because he made no sign of introducing himself. He was looking around the room excitedly, taking everything in. </p><p>“So, have you ever lived in Cornwall before?” Agnes started up the small talk. </p><p>“No, only for a week when we were seventeen.” Remus replied cheerily. They talked for a little while, about the surrounding areas, and how short of a walk it was to the beach. They exchanged a few stories about their time in Cornwall, and Agnes gave them a lot of tips about which beaches were best to go to during the busy months. After about twenty minutes, Sirius got up and strode over to the window, looking out towards the sea. </p><p>“Agnes, I wonder if I could show Remus around, just the two of us.” He asked politely. </p><p>“Oh yes of course dear. You two need to see it through your own eyes. I’ll just be in the den. Make yourself at home.”</p><p>“Thank you.” Sirius nodded and Remus followed him back towards the staircase. Now he looked at everything with a new perspective. What would this place be like as a home? </p><p>The paint of the railing and spindles was chipping, but the craftsmanship beneath was beautiful, solid sedar with simple but beautiful carvings. The whole house seemed to lie somewhere between rustic and lordly. It had tall, clear windows, which were hung with shabby little curtains. Beautiful hard-wood floors, with threadbare carpets. Large, spacious rooms, with creaky old doors. Remus loved it. Everything about it felt right. From the run of the stairs and the latches on the windows, to the very shape of the house itself. Not to mention the rest of the grounds. They stepped out the back door to find a huge yard with an old swing set standing near the flower bed. A barn stood at the back of the driveway, tall and sturdy with red shingles. It looked like a story book. </p><p>“And look, Teddy can play over here, and when he gets older he can run down the field all the way to the beach!” Sirius was giving a running commentary of the entire house, pointing out everything he could think of that would be fun for Teddy. “And I can set up my things in the barn, might even get my bike back from Hagrid, not sure where he’s got it.” </p><p>“Think he landed it in a ditch at the burrow or something.”</p><p>“Ah well, I’ll get a new one I suppose.”</p><p>“Or you could… not.” Remus didn’t much like the idea of Sirius having a motorbike while Teddy was growing up.</p><p>“We’ll sort out the details later.” Sirius avoided the subject tactfully. Remus felt a new anger rise in him. Was Sirius just saying he wanted to buy the house for Teddy to shut him up? Maybe the real reason he wanted to move here was so he could play with his motorbike and go surfing whenever he pleased. Did he think it would be all fun and games for the next eighteen years? It wasn’t going to be easy raising a child, but why would Sirius know that? He seemed to run off and get himself arrested or killed whenever any parental responsibility fell to him. Maybe trusting Sirius with something this important wasn’t a good idea. Remus pulled out a cigarette and started smoking it moodily. </p><p>“What’s wrong?” Sirius looked nervous again. Remus hated it. </p><p>“Nothing.” Remus lied. </p><p>“Are you mad about the bike?”</p><p>“No.”</p><p>“Look if it means that much to you I wont get another bike.” </p><p>Remus turned, letting the wind push the hair out of his eyes. He didn’t say anything. He felt like fighting, but he didn’t want to fight here. It would be unfair to Mrs. Nottingdale. </p><p>Why did he always feel like fighting? It wasn’t even a big deal really, had he expected Sirius not to want a new motorbike? It wasn’t the end of the world. And everything else he was doing was actually wonderful. It was unfair to blame him for not being able to raise Harry. He knew Sirius would have given anything to be there for his godson. So why did he have the urge to shout at his partner until his throat was raw? </p><p><em> Oh, </em> he thought, <em> the moon.  </em></p><p>Remus turned back to Sirius, wrapped his arms around his thin waist and pulled him in. They kissed for a little too long before breaking away breathlessly. Sirius had a very confused, but pleased look on his face. </p><p>“What was that for?”</p><p>“Nothing,” Remus stroked the side of his face. “I’m sorry for being so ungrateful. Moon’s coming. I’m just out of sorts. I really do like it here.” </p><p>Sirius smiled and pulled him back for another kiss. </p><p>“Hope Mrs. Nottingdale doesn’t spot us.” Remus joked. “...how do you know her anyway?” </p><p>“I don’t really,” Sirius replied. “I came to look at this house years ago, just before - you know. I thought it would be a nice place for baby Harry to come visit us. I wanted us to be the cool uncles with a surf shack. Anyway, Agnes must have bought it off the last sellers, and by some stroke of luck she was in the mind for selling when I came by to sniff it out.”</p><p>“When did you come here? I didn’t notice you leave.” </p><p>“I just slipped out while you were having a nap with Teddy the other day.” he winked. </p><p>“Agh, I fall asleep for forty minutes and you run off and buy a house. Can’t even blink around here anymore.” </p><p>“Nope.” Sirius looked out at the ocean again, his face relaxed and calm. “I haven’t bought it yet though. I wanted to make sure you liked it first obviously.”</p><p>“I love it.” </p><p>***</p><p>Sirius went back in to talk business and Remus decided to walk down the little path to the beach. He strolled through the neighbours cabbage crop, and over a turnstile, then came to a cute little cluster of houses. The sun was beginning to burn through the mist now, and a large gaggle of teenagers were walking - surfboards in hand - towards the beach. Remus traced their steps down the brambly path until it opened out onto a huge expanse of dunes. He recognized this beach. They had been to visit this one on their camping trip years ago. It was only a few miles up the coast to the site they had stayed on. </p><p>Remus half slid - half jogged down the side of the dunes, and landed gracefully at the bottom without getting too much sand on his best corduroy trousers. He walked along the wet sand and watched as the gaggle of wetsuit clad teenagers ran into the waves, jumping and whooping. He thought of Teddy living here, joining other kids to go surfing when he got old enough. He thought of how happy his little boy would be waddling along the sandy shore with Padfoot, and digging canals like James and Peter used to do. He could visualize Teddy’s whole life here, playing in the fields and biking down to the village to buy sweets, until he was eleven and it would be time to go off to Hogwarts. Then he would come home every summer and bring any friends he liked - the house had lots of space - and they would spend all their time on the beach, or exploring old ruins and caves. <em> Yes </em>, it was a lovely place. It was perfect. Remus couldn’t think of a better place to raise Teddy, and it warmed his heart to know that Sirius had chosen such a perfect spot. </p><p>When he arrived back at the house Sirius had just finished signing the first set of papers, and they prepared to leave. </p><p>“Thank you Agnes, we’ll be back soon with the rest of the payments!” Sirius shook the woman’s hand enthusiastically. </p><p>“Wonderful, I’m free on Thursday if you’d like to come then, after that it will have to wait until Monday. Sorry dears.” </p><p>“Oh, I don’t think we can do Thursday, we’ll come on Monday then no worries.” Sirius spoke in a very formal way to Mrs. Nottingdale, as if he was a perfectly respectable banker or somesuch. Remus almost had to hold back a laugh just listening to it. He hadn’t heard him speak like that since perhaps their second year at Hogwarts. He had lost most of his poshness hanging around Remus and Mary. </p><p>They walked back out into the street and strolled for a few minutes. </p><p>“Well, what shall we do now?” Sirius said jovially, with a huge smirk. It was a rhetorical question. No sooner had he said it, he grasped Remus’ hand and they had turned on the spot. </p><p>***</p><p>The pub looked the same as it had done twenty years ago. Sandwich board out front, and a sunny terrace outback. They took the same seats as before, but sat beside each other this time, and did not worry about prying eyes so much. They drank lazily and leaned in together, their conversation becoming more obscene the more they drank. By six O’clock they were completely away with the fairies, and they sauntered down to the beach happily. </p><p>The families were starting to pack up for dinner, and there were only surfers left now. They passed a few other couples walking hand in hand before they found themselves a nice little spot in the dunes to sit. They watched the surfers in the distance, cheering enthusiastically when one of them caught a good wave. No one could hear them, but it didn’t matter. They stayed there until the sun was barely visible, and a warm golden glow fell over everything around them. Sirius was humming a tune lazily, Remus lying in his lap. The sand was warm, and a cool evening breeze was starting to blow in from the sea. Remus made a mental note to remember this moment forever, though he supposed they would be able to have lots of these days now. He sighed, and fell into a gentle sleep with Sirius stroking his hair softly. He dreamt of a little boy with blue hair, running into the soft waves and giggling at the funny mermaids -</p><p>
  <em> Daddy look! They’re singing, they’re telling us to go swim with them. Come on Daddy swim with them swim, swim with them! But Remus couldn’t swim, he watched as Teddy joined the mermaids, singing their song. It was a familiar song, but he couldn't remember the words. If only he could remember the words then he would be able to go swim with his little boy....  </em>
</p><p>He woke to the sound of Sirius singing. </p><p> </p><p>
  <em> Looking on </em>
</p><p>
  <em> She sings the songs </em>
</p><p>
  <em> The words she knows </em>
</p><p>
  <em> The tune she hums... </em>
</p><p>
  <em> But oh, how it feels so real </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Lying here, with no one near </em>
</p><p>
  <em> Only you … hmm hmm hmm…  hear me </em>
</p><p>
  <em> When I say softly, slowly… </em>
</p><p>Remus laughed. Sirius’ voice must have made its way into his dreams.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The song at the beginning  was 'Wouldn't It Be Nice' by the beach boys of course. (Beach boys are always my go to when I visit Cornwall so I had to include them :)</p><p>The song Sirius is singing, do I even need to say it? We all know from our thousands of all the young dude playlists. (Tiny Dancer - Elton John, ofc lol) </p><p>Hope you liked this chapter, many more to come very soon!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0006"><h2>6. Teddy</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Remus and Sirius are shocked into parenthood.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <span>Tune me into the wild side of life</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I'm an innocent young child, sharp as a knife</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Take me to the Garretts where the artists have died</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Show me the courtrooms where the judges have lied</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Let me drink deeply from the water and the wine</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Light coloured candles in dark dreary mines</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Look in the mirror and stare at myself</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>And wonder if that's really me on the shelf</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>July 10th 1998</span>
</p><p>
  <span>The first full moon with Padfoot back was a relief. The wolf had grown very restless in three years of solitude. Remus would find himself miles from where he started when he transformed back, his muscles strained from running all night. He had even begun to scratch himself again, especially in the winter months when there were fewer rabbits to hunt. The wolf had become lonely and restless again without any company. It hadn’t been so bad in the years he had spent with Grant. Perhaps the wolf felt loneliness as deeply as Remus did, he often wondered how much his current mood affected his transformations. It certainly seemed that his worst transformations always happened to fall at the worst moments in his life. But as it was, with Padfoot, the wolf was calm and content once more. They trotted through the woods and over cliffs, play-fighting, and howling gleefully. Jumping through the underbrush and sniffing the air in search of unicorns. Just like the old days. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Remus woke with no new scars today, and only the usual ache in his joints. Sirius brought him home and when he had settled him on the couch, he went to cook. Sirius fed him sausages and bacon, scrambled eggs, potato wedges slathered with butter, and toast with every type of jam they had. He even insisted on stirring the three spoons of sugar into Remus’ tea for him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When they had finished eating they crawled into bed and fell straight to sleep. They slept the entire day away, and got up only to fetch more food. Remus found himself wondering if perhaps there was a god after all, and he had sent Sirius back to be his guardian angel, because he felt suspiciously happy. There had to be a catch, if Remus knew anything about dating Sirius it was that it was never this peaceful. A bumpy patch would appear at some point or other. But he decided not to worry, it was only all the more reason to enjoy the moment. So he ate all the chocolate biscuits that Sirius brought, and when he crawled into his arms for a third nap Remus let it happen. What was the use in fighting it? There was no rule saying you had to get dressed every day, even if he usually made an effort to. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>*** </span>
</p><p>
  <span>When evening came they found they could not sleep another wink. So, they dusted off all the old records sitting in the corner and placed them on the turntable one by one. Playing their favourite Bowie Albums and indulging in a few Beatles ones as well. They sat on the couch together, humming along or talking quietly, until Sirius got up and offered Remus a hand.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Care to dance Lupin?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ha, Go on then.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sirius pulled him up off the couch and they fell into each others arms easily. It was the same as it had always been.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They danced slowly around the living room, rocking back and forth peacefully for a very long while. They wound themselves together until it felt as if they were one unit, swaying in sync to the same music that had brought them together as children. Remus could close his eyes and imagine they were back in Gryffindor tower, dancing together in their school shirts as they listened to the old vinyls for the first time. Jumping on the bed, sitting in pondering silence, or rocking back and forth together when their dorm mates were out on other business. Remus kept his eyes closed, wishing he could live in that moment forever. Hoping more than anything that this time Sirius was here for good. He clung to Sirius as they danced, as if he would slip away the moment their skin stopped touching. Sirius did not object. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They stayed like that until midnight, when a loud tap came on the window, bursting the bubble of peace that had fallen around them. It was a small grey owl with white speckles on its belly - Remus recognized the bird as Andromeda's immediately. He stared for a moment until Sirius went to collect the letter, unfolding it quickly and reading it aloud. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Something is off about Teddy. Please come. </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>They stared at each other for a moment. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“That’s odd, Andromeda’s never asked me to come in the middle of the night like this before.” Remus scratched his chin, trying to come off as mildly concerned, in contrast to the panic that was slowly rising in his throat. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well we better go.” Sirius crumpled up the note and shoved it back in his pocket. “Must be bad if she’s sending </span>
  <em>
    <span>us </span>
  </em>
  <span>an owl.” He smiled at his own joke, but Remus could not bring himself to laugh. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They hurried to the fire place only to find that there was no Floo powder left. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bugger, I meant to go get some more.” Remus scolded himself. He was going to have to become more responsible if he was going to be a halfway decent father. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“S’ok, we’ll apparate.” Sirius soothed. So they did, but when they arrived on the little street they realized they had no idea where to go. Every house on the row had the same front door, the same trimmed hedges, and the very same brick pattern. Remus had been to Andromeda’s house plenty of times, but he realized now that he never approached it from the outside, and certainly not in the dark. The panic took hold of his chest now. What if Teddy was upset over something serious? Why would Andromeda call for them if it wasn’t an emergency? His little boy needed him. Sirius was being no help, he wandered up and down the street, squinting at the numbers on the doors, and mumbling something about forgetting the address. Remus’ heart began to race and he looked around frantically. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sirius, how could you not remember your own cousin's address?!” He shouted up the street. Sirius squinted back at him through the dark. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’ve had a lot on my mind for the past eighteen years in case you haven’t noticed!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Didn’t you think we might need to know where she lives?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t look at me, you’re the one who has a kid living with her.” Sirius retorted loudly, his voice echoed around the quiet street, reverberating off the brick walls all around and trailing off into the quiet woods behind them. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Argh you’re completely useless!” Remus ran his hands through his hair frantically. Sirius stood there looking slightly hurt, but he didn’t have time to worry about that just now. Teddy was more important, Teddy… his son… his baby…. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>All of a sudden a strange feeling came over Remus, filling him up like a hot water bottle. He had sensed something, perhaps a small cry, or a smell in the air. His brain seemed to become quiet and focused. The only thought in his head ringing clearly like a gong; </span>
  <em>
    <span>Cub, cub, cub. </span>
  </em>
  <span>His body seemed to move of its own accord and he half ran - half limped - up the street to the fifth house in the row. He stepped over an opening in the low garden hedge and hurried up to the door. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s this one.” He said firmly.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are you sure?” Sirius followed quickly, apparently out of breath from their brief shouting match. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sure.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He knocked on the door, and a moment later it swung open. Remus darted inside. Andromeda was standing on the other side of the room, bouncing the baby fiercely as he wailed at the top of his lungs. She looked extremely flustered, her dark grey hair flying this way and that, and her face flushed red from exertion. Remus walked straight over and took Teddy from her arms at once. Andromeda fell onto the sofa, relieved. Remus held the tiny little bundle in his arms and swayed back and forth rhythmically, bouncing slightly on every second swing. He didn’t know why he was doing it exactly, instinct seemed to be taking over, but it worked instantaneously. Teddy stopped crying and took a huge gulp, gasping for breath. He curled his tiny fists around the collar of his father’s shirt and let his little head rest. Andromeda sighed deeply. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thank goodness you’re here.” She said, closing her eyes and relaxing her face at the sudden absence of noise. “He’s been up all night. I don’t know what’s gotten into him. The poor thing’s been upset about something since yesterday evening, he kept changing his hair to brown - for you Remus - and it was alright at first, but he’s been working himself up all day. I could barely get him down for a nap at all.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Changing his hair… for me?” Remus questioned. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, I’ve noticed that’s what he does. I used to think he just did it for fun, but it seems that he changes his hair to tell us who he wants to hold him. Bloody useful, wish Dora could have been that useful with her powers. All she did was try to look like her beanie babies.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Remus tried to ignore the pang of guilt in his chest at the mention of Dora’s name, and continued to question Andromeda. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You said he was upset since last night?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah… round about ten or so, he was already in bed, but he kept tossing and turning in his sleep. Scratching his face and all. I had to cover his hands.” She gestured to one of Teddy’s chubby hands, which wore a tiny baby sock.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Did he wake up?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, not completely… he was calling out in his sleep though. Just little noises, but i’ve never heard him do that before…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Remus looked at Sirius who’s face reflected his own concern. Last night had been the full moon. Could it be a coincidence that he had started to get upset right when the moon was rising? Remus shuddered at the thought. He had been so sure after the first moon - that Teddy would be normal, that he had not passed on any wolfishness to his son. But, now he was not so sure. What if it just took time for the symptoms to show? He pursed his lips and peered down at the baby in his arms. He was asleep now, breathing lightly through his tiny little mouth. His hair was still a mousy brown, like Remus’ and there were little signs of scratching on his soft cheeks. Remus pulled him in tighter and closed his eyes, willing it to be just a coincidence. Hoping against hope that he had not cursed this poor child with his lycanthropy. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well at least he’s calm now,” Sirius supplied. Walking over to Remus and putting a comforting arm around the two of them. “Dromeda, you better get some rest. We’ll manage from here.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright.” She mumbled, getting up and heading towards the stairs. “There’s formula in the fridge, and the changing station is across in the drawing room.” She pinched between her eyebrows. “Wake me up if you need anything. I’m sorry I don’t have a bed set up for you two.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t worry about us, we’ll be fine.” Sirius waved her up the stairs. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They settled themselves on the couch, Teddy had dozed off very quickly - obviously tired from a day of restlessness. Remus knew what that was like. Sirius turned to Remus and spoke softly, fear woven into every syllable. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Do you - do you think he’s a…”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know.” Remus responded, not looking him in the eye. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Is it even possible?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wouldn’t he have already changed by now though?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I don’t know Sirius. It’s not every day you come across the son of a werewolf.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s fine.” Remus rested his head on the back of the couch, and sighed. “I’m sorry I shouted at you before. I was overreacting.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Don’t be silly.” Sirius replied softly. “You weren’t overreacting.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I was a bit.” he gave a small smile.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ok, maybe a little,” Sirius grinned and raised an eyebrow. “I didn’t know I was </span>
  <em>
    <span>completely </span>
  </em>
  <span>useless.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Remus rubbed his forehead and smiled weakly. “Sorrryy.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“S’ok.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You know I didn’t mean it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You’re useful for all sorts of things, promise.” He gave a small wink, and kissed Sirius lightly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ha, I see how it is.” Sirius replied softly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mmm.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Remus closed his eyes and let Sirius curl up on his other shoulder. His mind was buzzing with questions and worry. Was it possible that Teddy would start to change over time? Were these symptoms just part of some drawn out process? Why was it only starting now, or had there been signs before and Remus had just been too self absorbed to notice. </span>
</p><p>
  <span> Eventually Remus found himself sitting quietly, while Sirius and Teddy both slept soundlessly on either one of his shoulders. Teddy did not wake for a long time - though Remus felt certain that if he had put him down for even a moment, he would have woken immediately. He did not know how he knew </span>
  <em>
    <span>this</span>
  </em>
  <span> either, but it seemed as obvious as the feeling of a moon approaching. His head seemed to be filled with a host of new instincts. He suddenly felt he knew exactly what Teddy needed, and that his only true purpose in life was to make sure he had every last thing. His heart burned with a fierce love he had only ever felt for one other person before. He wanted to protect his baby boy at all costs. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>***</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They woke in a heap, half on the couch half off. Teddy was spread across Remus’ chest like a baby starfish. It had been a long night, filled with diapers and bottles. Andromeda had come down to help them heat up the milk the first time, but she had slept through the next three times. Remus was sore and exhausted. His eyes felt like they must be sunken all the way into his head by now. His head ached, and he wished he could sleep forever, but Teddy was squawking, and in need of attention. His tiny fists pulling at Remus’ collar. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He got up and left Sirius to sleep on the carpet where he lay. His slender hand fell onto his chest when Remus released it. He gazed at him for a moment before going back to the kitchen to heat up more milk. He began rummaging around for his own breakfast too, Teddy perched on one hip. It hurt his hip slightly to hold him this way, but he supposed he didn’t have much choice. Teddy’s comfort was more important anyway. He popped some bread into the toaster and went over to the fridge to get some marmalade. Sirius came in just as the toast popped and stood in the doorway, rubbing his eyes sleepily. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mrggning.” He grumbled. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Morning.” Remus smiled at him, he was an absolute mess. His white shirt had an odd stain down the front, his hair stuck out in odd places, and he hadn’t noticed his pants were unbuttoned. Remus loved it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How long have you been up?” He squinted at the two of them and took a seat at the little breakfast table. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Only a few minutes.” Remus attempted to butter his toast one handed. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mm’kay.” Sirius sat, staring dazedly out the kitchen window, into the early morning sun. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Remus went on making toast, and put in another round for Sirius, but just as he bent down to open the fridge, his hip gave an excruciating jolt, sending pain shooting down his left side. He stumbled and with a twist of his arm he nearly dropped Teddy on the hard linoleum. Sirius leapt up and scooped the baby from him quickly. He slung him over one shoulder carefully, then gave Remus a supporting arm and led him over to a chair. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bloody hell.” Remus gasped, rubbing at his hip. The ghost of pain was still hovering over it. He squeezed at the base of his leg until it had faded to a dull throb. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What happened?” Sirius demanded. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“S’nothing, just the hip.” He muttered. He didn’t want Sirius to make a fuss again. It was no use. The only thing that had ever worked on his hip was Marlene’s healing salve, and he had run out of that years ago. There was no use trying to find that, Marlene was long gone, and she had made the recipe herself. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Moony, I know I’m a broken record, but will you please go get looked at. It’s no good having a dodgy hip when you’ve got a baby for god sakes. If not for yourself, at least do it for Teddy.” Sirius rubbed Remus’ knee in a comforting way, and Remus looked at him reproachfully. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>He didn’t want to believe it, but he supposed Sirius was right. He couldn’t be hobbling around for the next eleven years, trying to be a normal dad. His hip would probably just get worse over time, and he did need to be in better shape for Teddy. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Alright, fine.” He glanced around the room, not meeting Sirius’ eye. “I’ll write to Madam Pomfrey.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sirius’ face lit up and he looked as if he wanted to jump up and shout a victory song, but he remained stoic and satisfied himself with a small grin and an enthusiastic shoulder rub. Remus was very grateful. </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The song at the beginning is 'This Song Has No Title.' - Elton John. </p><p>I hope you like this chapter. Please comment stuff! I seek validation always lol. </p><p>If anyone has any headcanons they want to see included please comment them! I love incorporating random ideas it's what spurs my writing.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0007"><h2>7. Regulus Arcturus</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Sirius finds out about what really happened to Reggie :(</p><p>Sorry.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <span>I met a girl who sang the blues</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>And I asked her for some happy news</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>But she just smiled and turned away.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I went down to the sacred store</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Where I'd heard the music years before</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>But the man there said the music wouldn't play.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>And in the streets the children screamed</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>The lovers cried, and the poets dreamed</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>But not a word was spoken.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>The church bells all were broken.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>And the three men I admire most</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>The Father, Son and the Holy Ghost</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>They caught the last train for the coast</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>The day the music died.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>July 12th 1998</span>
</p><p>
  <span>When they got back to the flat later that afternoon, Remus decided to write to madam Pomfrey right away. It was difficult. He didn’t know what to say. Was it inappropriate to write to his old school nurse and complain about his hip? She was still the only medical professional who knew about his condition, but he didn’t feel right troubling her with everyday aches and pains. He supposed the issue of Teddy’s suspicious symptoms on the Moon were more pressing. It would make more sense to tell her about that. Yes, he would ask her if she knew anything about the offspring of werewolves. </span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Dear Poppy…</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>No that was too informal, it felt too strange to call her by her first name. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Dear Mme. Pomfrey…</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>No that didn’t feel right either. </span>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Dear Pomfrey,</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>Yes he supposed that worked well enough.</span>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>I hope you are well. I am sorry I have not come to visit like you asked, I’m sure I will come by sometime in the near future, although things are fairly busy at the moment. Teddy is almost three months old now, and he’s growing like a weed. Always has some new trick up his sleeve to have us running around like headless chickens. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>It’s actually for that reason that I’m writing to you. Last full moon it became apparent that Teddy was coming down with some strange symptoms. He became restless when the full moon rose, and his grandmother said he was scratching himself. You have done the most research into lycanthropy out of anyone I know, and I was wondering if you have ever come across any information regarding the children of werewolves, if they have any. I don’t remember ever seeing anything about it in any reading I did at Hogwarts, though I’m quite sure it would not have concerned me at that time.  </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Hope you are well,</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Remus. </span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Ps. My hip had been hurting me again, more than usual. You wouldn’t happen to have anything that might help would you? </span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <span>He didn’t like adding the part about his hip, but Sirius had come to read over his shoulder as he wrote, so he scrawled it across the bottom before sealing it in an envelope.</span>
</p><p>
  
  <span>“I don’t have an owl.” Remus looked around the room dully. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“S’ok, we’ll send it tomorrow.” Sirius sat on the couch, sipping a warm mug of tea.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“How?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We’ll use Ronald’s owl.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Are we going to the Burrow tomorrow?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thought we might. Andromeda says she’ll be over there with the baby.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ok, that sounds nice.” Remus went over to join Sirius on the couch and wound his arm under Sirius’ thin ones. He traced the tattoos on the back of Sirius’ hand for a moment, remembering the first time his boyfriend had come home with the ink branded into his skin. He had been furious at first, shouting about how he was ruining his beautiful skin. But as always, Sirius had just grinned and strutted about proudly, until Remus had given in and admitted that the tattoos were sexy. He remembered the week when his brother had died, and when Sirius had returned to the flat with another new marking. He hadn’t said anything about it, but Remus knew what it was for - a small set of lines making up two constellations - Regulus, Arcturus. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Now the ink was stretched and misshapen over Sirius’ hollow hands. Faded and warped, Remus could still make out the little dots representing each star. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sirius, we haven’t talked about what happened while you were gone.” Remus said, clearing the mist of calm that hung in the air. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you mean?” Replied Sirius quietly. “I told you almost everything I remember from behind the veil.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, that’s not what I meant.” Remus sat up straight and took Sirius’ thin hand into his lap. “I mean what happened on this side of the veil.” He looked into his partner's deep blue eyes, and sensed a glint of fear. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I didn’t think there was much more to know. You already told me about... the battle.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No… well there’s something else. Something Harry told me after the battle.” Remus stared down at the constellations squeezed between his hands and continued. “Sirius, did you see your brother? Did you see Regulus on the other side?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sirius froze and gazed forward silently for a moment, then nodded ever so slightly. “Yeah… I did, but he was different there. He was younger. It felt like when we were kids. I don’t think I even remembered… everything, all the things he did. We were just friends again, you know?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Remus nodded slowly. “Right well, here’s the thing Pads. Erm, do you know about the horcruxes?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sirius nodded again, with a quizzical frown. “Harry told me a bit about them, yes.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, I don’t know if Harry told you this, but Regulus…” Remus paused, trying to decide the best way to tell him. “Well he was the first one to find out about the horcruxes.” Sirius looked confused so he went on. “We don’t know the full story but we know that it was him that tried to destroy the first horcrux. Kreacher told us, well he told Harry anyway.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“What do you mean he tried to destroy it?” Sirius was still staring with a straight face, but there was a look behind his eyes that seemed almost like hope. Remus gripped his hand more tightly and pressed on.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well, horcruxes are rather difficult to destroy, and this particular one was guarded by a whole lot of dark magic. Supposedly Regulus found out where it was and went to get it so that he could destroy it, and he did get it but,” He paused again. “But </span>
  <em>
    <span>he</span>
  </em>
  <span> didn’t make it out. That’s ...how he died.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Remus said it, as if it was the first time Sirius was hearing of his brother's death. Even though he had been gone for almost two decades. Sirius’ expression was utterly unreadable. He stared blankly into Remus’ face, his eyes becoming slightly misty. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Why did he do it?” Sirius asked in no more than a whisper. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“To help defeat the dark lord.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“So he was…” Sirius didn’t seem to know how to say it, so Remus spoke for him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It doesn’t excuse everything I suppose, but well yes… he was on our side in the end. He was good.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sirius gave a tiny jerk of his head, to indicate that he understood, then a silent tear rolled down his right cheek, splashing into their hands. He drew in a shaky breath, and the tears kept falling. He didn’t cry out, or screw up his face in agony, he just sat there staring into his lap, letting the tears roll off his cheeks one by one. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“It’s ok.” Remus ran his hands through his long dark hair. “It’s ok.” He said the words, though he didn’t really know what they meant. What did it even mean to be ok? Whatever it was it certainly wasn’t this. No man deserved to weep over a lost brother, one he had believed to be guilty for twenty years. Remus knew that Sirius had never mourned properly over Regulus. He had believed him to be a death eater, turned to the dark side forever. But was learning that he had not been evil after all really better? It didn’t make it any less painful, that was certain.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Remus knew what it felt like to get this kind of news. Learning that Sirius was innocent had been the most excruciating blend of relief and guilt he had ever experienced. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Remus folded Sirius into his arms and stroked his hair softly for what could have been hours, until finally Sirius spoke. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I should have done better.” He mumbled into Remus’ shoulder. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Remus didn’t know what to say. This was not exactly what he had expected. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I should never have given up on him. Maybe then things would have been different.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“...Sirius” Remus searched for something to say - anything. “... there’s no point dwelling on the past. There’s a million things both of us could have done differently that would have saved plenty of people, but that doesn’t make it our fault that they're gone.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No, but I was his brother. I should have done better by him.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, I know. It’s ok, love…. it will be ok.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They lent their foreheads together and breathed deeply for a long time. Remus wished he was better at saying the right things. Sirius would know what to say, something wise and comforting that would be appropriate for the moment. But he didn’t know how to make it better, how could such a thing be made better? So far nothing had seemed to work for him. Why should he pretend that anything could make it more bearable for Sirius? Lies would not help. So he stayed quiet and let Sirius wallow in whatever deep sadness had washed over him. He needed to feel it, Remus thought, he had spent too long pushing these feelings away. He was allowed to mourn the loss of a </span>
  <em>
    <span>good </span>
  </em>
  <span>man now, and Remus figured it was best to let him.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>***</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sirius was quiet for a few days afterwards. Remus didn’t ask him to talk it through or confess his feelings, he already knew what Sirius must be thinking. He let him mourn in peace for the next three days without interruption. He would hold him when he cried, and make him eat when he didn’t want to get out of bed. He didn’t feel spiteful about it. In the old days, Remus might have tried to talk some sense into him or tell him to stop sulking, but that didn’t feel like the right course of action this time. Sirius needed time, so Remus was patient, it wasn’t hard. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Monday, 13th July, 1998.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>On Monday he left Sirius at home and aparated to Diagon alley to collect the payment for the house. The Goblins were a bit skeptical of Remus’ reasoning, but let him in as he had Sirius’ key. He gaped when the little goblin opened the Black family vault. There mounds of gold coins piled around the whole chamber, as well as heaps of different glittering treasures lining the walls and strewn across the floor. He had to compose himself before collecting a few sacks of gold coins. The goblins were able to write him a note that was worth the same as all the gold he’d collected, and told him it would work the same as any muggle cheque. His next stop was Rhubarb Hill , where the large beach house sat waiting. He delivered the cheque to Mrs. Nottingdale and explained that Sirius was feeling ill. He was able to avoid going in for tea, and after a brief chat, and a promise to bring Sirius back as soon as he was feeling well, he escaped back to London. He leaned in the doorway of the bedroom when he got back and told Sirius he had dealt with everything. Sirius grunted a thanks, but did not elaborate. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Wednesday 15th July, 1998. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>On the third day of Sirius’ confinement Remus was sitting at the breakfast table, drinking his tea while he read an old book that had been lying about. The title had said something about Jamaica, but it wasn’t set in Jamaica at all, in fact he was realizing quickly that the story seemed to be taking place near Cornwall. He was just starting to get interested when Sirius finally emerged from the bedroom. Remus looked up slightly dazed, pulling himself back into reality. He smiled at Sirius and pushed the teapot towards him as he sat down. Sirius poured some out for himself and sipped slowly. Remus read on; </span>
  <em>
    <span>And there were strangers in the yard whom Mary had never seen before. She could see their faces clearly because of the moonlight, the very brightness of which seemed to worry the men, for one of them pointed upwards and shook his head, while his companion shrugged his shoulders…</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m ready.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Huh?” Remus blinked as he resurfaced to the breakfast table yet again. Slightly put off that Sirius had chosen this exact moment to become vocal again. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m ready,” He repeated. “Ready to be normal again.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh right.” Remus replied. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“We were going to visit the Burrow.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, we were.” Remus frowned slightly. “We don’t have to though.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“S’alright,” Sirius mumbled. “We should go.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ok.” Remus nodded slowly. “Well, if that’s what you want… are you sure you’re ready?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m fine.” Sirius scowled slightly over his tea. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Right. We’ll pop over later then.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>They both fell silent again, Remus peered at his partner curiously, wondering if he was really alright. He had never known Sirius to recover from something so smoothly before, but he supposed the news about Regulus had not been entirely bad, and Sirius had already seen him behind the veil. Still, he watched him suspiciously, looking for any sign of uncertainty stirring behind those piercing blue eyes. Sirius seemed to notice this behaviour and sighed, exasperated. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Look Moony, It’s no use me staying here and moping about it for days on end. Of course I’m not alright yet, but it’ll do me good to get out and see the others. I haven’t seen Harry recently and I ought to be seeing him as much as I can. Plus, I’ll feel better if I’m with the kids - You know, stop wallowing in self pity for a bit.” Sirius shot a challenging look at Remus. “The old you would have known that.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Remus recoiled slightly, wondering if ‘the old him’ was something Sirius had been avoiding mentioning for a while now. Did Sirius think he was no longer the same man he once was? Had he been wanting to complain about this for weeks now? An even more worrisome thought was; was he right to believe that Remus was no longer himself. It was true that the old Remus would have acted very differently in this situation, but he thought he was doing the right thing this time.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Look…” Remus started, closing his book slowly. “I did think of doing that, but I thought maybe I ought to leave you be this time. It’s not like we have anywhere to be. And it’s not hurting anyone… moping.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hurting anyone?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well… in the </span>
  <em>
    <span>old</span>
  </em>
  <span> days it was different, cuz James would be getting his knickers in a twist over your sulking, but now… well now it’s just you and me isn’t it? You can sulk all you want.” Remus was hesitant to say all this, it felt somehow insensitive, thought he couldn’t place why. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well isn’t it hurting you?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No.” Remus replied plainly. It wasn’t a lie. He did not feel in the least bit uncomfortable with the way Sirius had been coping. It seemed perfectly reasonable and even sensible to him. Why not take a couple days off to recover himself? He deserved it. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ok.” Sirius pondered for a moment. “Well anyway, I ought to see Harry, and Teddy, and there’s the house to be getting on with. I think I really am ready. I want to go out.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ok.” Remus smiled, and opened his book again. “Just let me finish this chapter.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>The book that Remus is reading is 'Jamaica Inn' by Daphne du Maurier. If you haven't read it I highly suggest it. I read it in one day cuz it is really captivating (Once you get past the first three chapters tho, you know how old books are lol).</p><p>Song was American Pie.</p><p>I'm sorry this chapter was kinda sad, but it can't all be happy if I'm going to have literally anything canon at all. Blame Joanne. :)</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0008"><h2>8. Godfathers</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Sirius and Remus go for a visit at the Burrow.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <em>
    <span>Hey Jude, don't make it bad.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Take a sad song and make it better.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Remember to let her into your heart,</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Then you can start to make it better.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Hey Jude, don't be afraid.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>You were made to go out and get her.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>The minute you let her under your skin,</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Then you begin to make it better.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>
  <em>
    <span>And anytime you feel the pain, hey Jude, refrain,</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>Don't carry the world upon your shoulders.</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>For well you know that it's a fool who plays it cool</span>
  </em>
</p><p>
  <em>
    <span>By making his world a little colder.</span>
  </em>
</p><p> </p><p>Wednesday 15th July, 1998.</p><p>
  <span>They left later that afternoon, and arrived promptly just outside of the Burrow’s front gate. The sun had just managed to burn through the clouds as it sank low in the sky. The evening heat was warming the wet earth creating a sweet grassy smell all around them. Remus caught sight of a few chickens running around the other side of the garden as they appeared. All the windows in the tall house were flung open, to let the cool summer breeze flow through. A ginger cat was striding in through the open door, and turned when he heard them apparate. His nose seemed to twitch as he peered up at Sirius, and he changed his course. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hello there.” Sirius murmured, stooping down to scratch the cat under the ear. Remus chuckled to himself. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I thought you hated cats.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well Crookshanks is an old friend.” Sirius responded, with a small wink. Remus walked on and was just about to reach the front stoop when a loud crash came from the kitchen, sending a pigeon flying from an upper window ledge. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“FRED, GEORGE!?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Remus smiled as Molly Weasley's voice rang through the muggy air and they began to approach the house slowly. Footsteps could be heard galloping down the stairs, accompanied by raucous laughter, and two gangly redheads came tumbling out of the house. Followed by a large rubber boot soaring through the air. Fred dodged the boot skillfully and they rolled down onto the grass, the two young men were giggling madly. Remus and Sirius stopped by their heads and looked down at them, smirking. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hello boys.” Remus said, raising one eyebrow. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They shared identical expressions of surprise, then grinned and got to their feet. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Mum! Sirius and Lupin are here!” George shouted back towards the house. “What brings you to these parts?” He said, addressing the two men. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Thought we’d come see what kind of trouble you’re getting into these days,” Remus said, placing a hand on Fred’s shoulder. “Make sure you aren't driving your mother </span>
  <em>
    <span>too</span>
  </em>
  <span> mad.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>At that moment Molly came rushing out of the door, in a splendid sundress and smiled broadly at her visitors. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah there you are! I was wondering when you two would come visit again. I’m sure Harry will be thrilled.” She came over and managed to plant a kiss on each of their cheeks, despite barely being tall enough to reach Remus’ collarbone. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hope were not intruding, Molly,” Remus said bashfully. “We don’t have an owl at the moment, so we weren’t sure how to tell you we were coming.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh don’t be silly dear, you are always welcome. You can ruddy well live here after what you did for us” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sirius frowned at this and gave Remus a questioning look. “What did you do Moony?” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Remus here, saved my darling boy’s life last month.” Molly replied, pulling Fred to her side. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m your darling boy now?” Fred said with a devilish grin. The same kind Sirius used to put on when he had just pulled a particularly genius prank. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes, but darling boy’s can still clean out the chicken coop until the end of the summer.” Molly replied smugly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You saved Fred’s life!?” Sirius rounded on Remus while Molly shooed the twins back into the house. “How am I only just discovering this now?”</span>
</p><p><span>“Well, sort of, I mean I only did what anyone would have done in the situation. The wall nearly crushed him, it wasn’t a gallant display of courage or anything.” Remus replied, slightly embarrassed. He didn’t want people thinking he was some kind of hero. All he had done was hover a few rocks. His instincts had kicked in, he had barely even thought about it. </span><span><br/></span> <span>“Well I don’t care, you saved my boy and that’s worth quite a lot in my books.” Molly said, returning. “Come in now, have some tea.” </span></p><p>
  <span>They filtered into the house slowly, and sat around the kitchen table. Remus chose a seat by the biggest window, to allow the wind to blow over his face and cool him off slightly. Sirius threw off his jacket and leaned back in his chair with the buttons of his shirt half undone.  He quickly started a conversation with the twins about their joke shop, and was met with great enthusiasm from the boys. Remus wondered how Sirius could do that. How he could connect with young people so easily. He felt a pang of jealousy watching the three of them share excited grins as they chatted. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Molly came over with a tray of cold lemonade and a pot of tea beside it. She called up the stairs to the rest of the household, and within minutes most of the family had appeared either from the yard or the bedrooms upstairs to gulp down the drinks. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bill’s just out on some business, I expect he’ll be home soon.” Molly told Remus. She seemed to be a bit restless, like she could not quiet until all her sons were home.“Oh and Ron dear, where is Harry?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“In bed I expect.” Ron shrugged. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bed?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yeah, he’s been staying up there a lot lately.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Remus noticed out of the corner of his eye that Ginny seemed to wince at these words. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Well that’s no good. Go get him up, his </span>
  <em>
    <span>godfathers</span>
  </em>
  <span> are here to see him.” Molly waved a hand to shoo her son up the stairs. Ron obliged and bound up the stairs quickly, on his long gangly legs. Remus sat quietly, pondering the fact that Molly had just referred to Sirius and himself as Harry’s godfathers, plural. It was unexpected, and for a moment he felt a bit squirmy at the idea, but really he liked it. He liked the way Molly had accepted them as one unit, and he supposed if Sirius had agreed to share Teddy, then he ought to share Harry. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Ron returned shortly, but Harry did not follow behind him. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He says he has a headache.” Ron pursed his lips, as if he wanted to say more. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh the poor dear.” Molly fretted. “I’ll bring him up some tonic in a mo’” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Remus wondered if perhaps there was something else bothering Harry. He knew all too well the feeling of long days spent in bed after a traumatic event such as had recently occurred. Hadn’t he himself spent three weeks hiding away in London by himself, drowning his sorrows in books and liquor? He supposed Harry would likely be feeling the same way, thought he hoped dearly that the poor boy hadn’t resorted to firewhiskey yet. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Molly, do you mind if I go check on him?” He spoke in a low tone across the table. She looked slightly surprised by this, but nodded and whispered a fervent consent. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Remus got up slowly, touching a hand to Sirius’ shoulder as he walked past, then headed up the creaky stairs onto the top landing, which had beams of golden light falling across it, coming in through the open bedroom doors and skylight. He knocked softly on the door marked ‘Ron’s den - no Gools, no Spyders, no Fred&amp;George’. He heard a low “Come in” from within and pushed it open slowly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harry was lying, sprawled out on his bed, staring at the ceiling. His round glasses sat folded on the bedside table. He glanced casually in Remus’ direction, then squinted slightly when he realized it was not a redhead standing in the doorway. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Professor Lupin?” He asked feebly.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hello Harry.” Remus smiled and strode into the room, sitting on a sturdy trunk that sat carelessly in the middle of the small bedroom. He gazed out the window for a bit, watching a cloud turn from orange to pink, and Harry went back to starting at the ceiling passively. “I heard you were a bit out of sorts.” He spoke softly, hoping to sound grown up and helpful. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harry gave a grunt, indicating this was correct. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sick?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“No.” Harry replied dully. “Just don’t want to… I don’t know, any of it.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah.” Remus smiled, though he didn’t find this to be good news at all, he wanted Harry to understand that it was normal. “Well that’s fair enough, there’s nothing good out there anyway.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harry nodded absentmindedly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Except perhaps that gorgeous sunset,” Remus went on, trying his best not to sound too condescending. “And those broomsticks out in the shed, and a rather rowdy family of redheads who love you to pieces, and a godfather who won’t shut up about you day and night, and a rather large array of very loyal friends who would probably love to receive a letter from you at any point in time.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harry nodded again, and he looked out the window slowly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Not to mention a lovely young woman who adores you, and is currently sitting downstairs fretting over your wellbeing.” Remus pressed on, running out of ideas. Harry turned to look at Remus now and reached for his glasses, sitting up slightly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Look Professor, I’m not trying to sulk or anything. I’m just tired. I want a rest.” Harry rubbed his eyes under his glasses. “It’s been a long year.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes I’m sure, more than a year. Perhaps an entire lifetime, but trust me when I tell you that lying in bed will only make you more weary every day, until there is very little you can do to get yourself out any more.” Remus said, frowning slightly. “I know from experience.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harry gave him a quizzical look.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Harry, you are not the only one to experience devastating events such as these.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know, I’m sorry -”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah, no. Don’t apologize Harry.” Remus interrupted. “You have every right to feel what you feel. You have faced more than anyone else I know, not to mention any eighteen year old I know. I only want to tell you that there are ways of dealing with these sorts of thoughts, and lying in bed is usually not one of those ways.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harry rolled his eyes and swung his legs over the edge of the bed. He faced Remus now, but he was looking at his lap, twisting his hands nervously. “Look I get all that… it’s just hard, thinking about everything that happened… It’s been a lot…” He trailed off. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know.” Remus leaned forward and put a hand on Harry’s shoulder. It had been a long time since he had been able to talk to Harry like this, one on one. He realized that he had missed seeing the gangly bespeckled boy more than he had realized. It had been wonderful getting to know James’ son so many years ago, and being able to help him through his various tribulations. He felt he was honouring James every time he was able to help Harry somehow, and that warmed his heart ever so slightly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Harry, I’m not saying you don’t deserve a rest. I’m just trying to help. I’m here for whatever you need. I wouldn’t be any kind of mate if I left my best friend’s son to fend for himself after everything you’ve been through.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harry nodded again, and finally lifted his face to make eye contact. “I miss him.” He said, tears welling in his eyes. “Now it’s all over, I just…” He trailed off and wiped his nose with the back of his sleeve. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Yes I know.” Remus moved to sit on the bed and pulled Harry into a tight hug. “We all miss him. Every day, all the time. And we will never stop, but life will go on.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harry hugged him back, and Remus realized it was the first time he had ever hugged him properly. It felt just like hugging James, or what he knew from the few occasions they had shared a friendly hug, but Remus also felt an overwhelming sense that Lily possessed this embrace too. Harry sniffed slightly and let out a shuddering breath. Remus didn’t quite know what to do so he patted him on the back gently.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Harry, I promise it will get better.” He said quietly. “There’s so much ahead of you now.”  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harry nodded into Remus’ shoulder, then pulled back slowly, wiping his nose and forcing a small smile. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I know.” He shook his head, “I’m just being silly.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“In no one’s mind are you being silly.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ok.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Remus sat still for a moment, watching Harry. He didn’t seem upset exactly, he seemed more drained, like someone had come and taken all that teenage fire, that Remus had become so accustomed to, away. This worried Remus even more, without his burst of rage and passion, where would the boy find his energy? </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m ready to go down.” Harry said quietly after a few moments.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Splendid.” Remus gave him a reassuring pat, and they paced slowly down the stairs together. Harry trailing behind as Remus limped with his aching hip. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Ah yes, Harry, remind me to borrow your owl before I go.” Remus said over his shoulder. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh, professor, I don’t have an owl anymore.” Harry’s shoulders slumped. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Sorry, I meant Ronald’s owl. The little one.” Remus said quickly, hoping he hadn’t just hit a nerve. He knew how fond of his owl Harry had been. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They walked out into the kitchen and Remus smiled to the room. “Found him.” He said lightly, hoping nobody would ask any uncomfortable questions. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Mrs. Weasley came bustling over and pulled Harry’s cheek down in order to give him a kiss on the head, then set to pouring him some tea. Harry sat down quietly and watched the twins as they tried to bribe Sirius with a brightly coloured sweet. Remus felt slightly relieved when Harry finally began to laugh with the rest of the group, and felt oddly proud of himself. Perhaps he would make a good father yet. </span>
</p><p>***</p><p>
  <span>The rest of the evening was exceptionally pleasant. Molly sent her eldest son Charlie to go collect Andromeda and the baby, and a huge meal of roast lamb was prepared. Remus was lost in a sea of merriment and noise, and all his worries about Teddy and his hip seemed to fade away as he let himself be absorbed into the laughter around him. Bill arrived with Fleur halfway through dinner and everyone pushed over to make room for them. This brought the morale up even more, and Molly seemed to finally relax properly. Sirius seemed to be having a very good time, he told the most jokes out of anyone, and they were all in stitches by the end of the meal. Remus could tell he was overcompensating to avoid facing any unpleasant thoughts about Regulus, but there was nothing particularly wrong with that. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>After dinner everyone agreed that they were far too full to have dessert right away, so the group split slowly as many of them retreated to the living room to lie down and digest. Remus took Teddy from Andromeda’s lap so she could finish eating properly, and went to sit on the couch with Sirius. He had his eyes closed, and his brow was furrowed slightly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“You alright?” Remus asked quietly as he sat down.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Hm? Oh yeah, fine. Just had a moment.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Remus nodded in understanding, and cozied up to Sirius’ side, letting Teddy kick Sirius’ legs gently. They sat for a while, listening to Ginny and Ron having a furious round of chess. Harry was sitting close to Ginny, and Remus kept noticing her lean back and stroke his hand, or whisper things that made him smile. This comforted Remus, nothing like young love to get one out of a slump. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>After twenty minutes the baby began to grow restless in Remus’ lap and his hair changed to a soft black colour. Remus passed him lazily to Sirius, knowing now that this was Teddy’s way of saying he would like to be held by someone with black hair. But Teddy grew even more restless when Sirius began to play with him, and even let out a small cry. Sirius looked surprised for a moment then mumbled as he got to his feet. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Must want Dromeda.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Wait.” Remus put a hand on his leg. “Look.”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>He pointed to Teddy’s head, where the hair had become slightly curlier and fluffier, and had a distinct tuft at the back. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Aha” Sirius exclaimed, a grin spreading across his face. He strode over to Harry and held the baby out in front of him. “There you are.” He said, more to Teddy than Harry.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Uh, wut?” Harry reached out tentatively to take the little creature, looking very skeptical.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“He wants you, look at his hair.” Sirius ruffled the tufts of hair on Teddy’s head then put his hand on his hips happily. “Little chap wants his godfather to show him some love.” </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Harry looked slightly taken aback and Remus laughed. “Harry, this is something we’ve noticed Teddy doing a lot. He changed his hair to match the person that he’s most like to be held by at any given moment.” He explained.  </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Oh, right, ok.” Harry nodded, he looked down at Teddy and smiled, and the baby cooed happily. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Check mate!” Ginny cried. “Take that!”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“Bloody hell.” Ron slumped back onto the carpet. “You were whispering to your bloody boyfriend the whole time, how did you still win?”</span>
</p><p>
  <span>“I’m just that good.” Ginny replied triumphantly. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Sirius and Remus chuckled as they watched the siblings bicker. It was nice to just have noise. It had been too quiet at the apartment for the past few days. Remus had been going a bit stir crazy in truth. The noise seemed to be doing Sirius some good too. His eyes had lost their glassy look at least. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>They sat chatting and watching match after match for a long time, until Ron had beat Percy for the third time and nobody else was willing to play chess any more. Harry had relaxed with Teddy, and he and Ginny were prodding his little tummy and making silly faces to keep him entertained. </span>
</p><p>
  <span>Everything was calm… then Teddy’s hair turned to a soft orange and he started to cry. Everyone looked around desperately. The house was full of redheads, how were they supposed to know which one he wanted? Harry handed Teddy to Ginny, and after two minutes of bouncing with no result Ginny handed him over to Ron. That made matters worse so Ron handed him to Goerge….They ended up passing the boy through five Weasley children, before he finally settled with Bill, the second eldest son. Everyone cheered as Teddy finally stopped crying, as if the whole thing had been a very entertaining game of hot potato. Remus laughed with the others for a while, but something tugged at the back of his mind, and he couldn’t help but start to worry again.</span>
</p><p>
  <span>Why Bill? </span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Alright so I caved and made it so Fred is alive. I just couldn't face this entire fic without Fred, it's just wrong. So I hope that explanation made sense, of how it was Remus who saved Fred, like a domino effect. </p><p>I thought Hey Jude fit well with the conversation between Remus and Harry :)</p><p>I hope you liked this chapter, personally it started out as my least favourite and is now one of my favourite chapters that I've written so far. </p><p>Please comment anything you'd like!</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
<a name="section0009"><h2>9. Busy Making Other Plans</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>This is a pretty short one. Remus is worrying about Teddy. Sirius is trying to organize some sort of commune. The usual.</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>
  <span>Bill had been marked by Greyback. He wasn’t a werewolf, but Remus knew that he smelled of it, he caught the scent every time Bill walked into a room. It wasn’t as strong as a real werewolf. No, It didn’t have that intoxicating quality, but it was still there, there was no mistaking it. So was this why Teddy was drawn to Bill? This was the third time Teddy had settled in Bill’s arms, and the family had been joking around, saying that it meant he was going to make a great father, but Remus wondered if it was something else. Could Teddy smell the wolf in him too? The only other person the baby cried for as fiercely as Bill was Remus himself. He rubbed his forehead unconsciously, and got up to pace. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Moony what is it?” Sirius asked, coming over to the doorway to join him. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Nothing… it’s just…” He trailed off.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Bill?” Sirius peered into his eyes with a very sincere look on his face. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes, do you think…” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It could be a coincidence.” Sirius interjected calmly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“But, what if it’s not? Pads, there are just too many signs now. What about the last full moon? And now this, I just don’t see how it could be a coincidence.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Babies are odd that way, it doesn’t mean it has anything to do with the moon. I mean it was practically a whole day after the moon that Teddy was being fussy, and who wouldn’t fall asleep in Bill’s arms, right?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Remus gave Sirius an angry glance then ran his hands through his hair distractedly. It was going more grey every day, and he hated it. How had Sirius managed to come back through the veil with a full head of silky black hair? What a nightmare. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, Teddy started getting upset at the exact time the moon rose. That’s what Andromeda said.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What did I say?”  Andromeda appeared in the doorway, coming back from the kitchen with a large glass of wine. Then, noticing the tension between the two of them, she gave a small frown and leaned on the doorframe. “What is going on here?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Erm..well, Remus thinks Teddy might turn into a werewolf.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Sirius, bloody hell.” Remus growled. “No I don’t… well I don’t know.” He turned to Andromeda. “It’s just after that night where he was scratching - that night was a full moon - so it seemed like he may have some signs of lycanthropy. We’re not sure.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Andromeda puffed out her cheeks, then took a large gulp of her wine. “Bloody hell.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah…”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well is there anyone we can ask?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes I have a letter written to Poppy Pomfrey, we were just about to send it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Remus went to the entranceway and pulled the envelope out of Sirius’ jacket pocket. He unfolded the paper and scrawled another note across the bottom.</span>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <em>
    <span>Pps: There are other things about Teddy. I don’t think it can be a coincidence. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p> </p>
<p>
  <span>He realized that he was being very cryptic, but there wasn’t much room on the paper, and he had already decided he would try to visit as soon as possible. He went back to the living room and asked Ron if he could use Pigwidgeon. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Uh yeah mate, uh sorry I mean Professor, I’ll go get him for you.” Ron shuffled out of the room awkwardly and disappeared up the stairs. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span> Remus stood waiting, wringing his hands together slightly. Sirius reached out and clasped them in his own slender hands. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Moony, it’ll be ok. Nothing bad is going to happen to him, we won’t let it.” Sirius said soothingly. Remus nodded vaguely, trying to believe it. Andromeda seemed just as anxious as Remus and had miraculously drained her entire glass of red in seconds. She stood on the threshold looking into the living room at Teddy. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well it doesn’t matter either way.” She spoke up after a few moments of silence. “If he has... well whatever it is that he might have, then so be it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Remus stared at her in disbelief. How could she say it didn’t matter? This could change his entire life. Of course it bloody mattered.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’ll take care of him, and at least he has a father who knows about this sort of thing.” She went on. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“It doesn’t matter what I know.” Remus mumbled angrily. He had half a mind to shout at Andromeda for being so insensitive, but at that moment Ron returned, clutching his owl in one hand. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Here you are Professor.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Thank you.” Remus took the little bird from him. “Oh and Ron, you really don’t have to call me professor any more.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Uh right then, uh… Lupin.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Remus pressed his lips together and nodded, then he turned to tie the letter to the bird’s leg. When he was sure it was well fastened he opened the door and released Pigwidgeon into the night air. He watched for a moment as the little wings flapped away, until it’s brown feathers were no longer visible in the soft darkness. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>That was it then, Madame Pomfrey would know soon enough, and there was no point worrying about it until she wrote back. He went to stand next to Andromeda and watch Teddy with her. Bill was holding him with one arm, and the baby seemed to be dozing next to his strong frame. It didn’t look very comfortable exactly. Remus thought vaguely that Sirius was wrong, he was quite sure he would not be comfortable falling asleep in Bills arms. He practically had a crick in his neck just thinking about it. Teddy seemed to like it though because he slept peacefully there for the rest of the evening.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>***</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Right,” Said Sirius, after a few more drinks and a disastrous game of Pit. “We better be off, got to get this one to bed.” He wrapped an arm around Remus, who gave a half hearted chuckle.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sirius gave everyone an enthusiastic hug, even Arthur, who looked slightly confused, but returned the hug all the same. Remus hugged Molly, then shook his head and grinned to himself as he waited for Sirius to finish. </span>
  <em>
    <span>Always the same old Pads</span>
  </em>
  <span>, he thought, </span>
  <em>
    <span>never misses an opportunity for a cuddle. </span>
  </em>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Remus wandered over to give Harry a pat on the back and ruffle his hair slightly. He seemed to be good and cheered up for the moment. His cheeks were rosy, and his eyes were bright. Just the way they should be. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We’ll be back for your birthday.” Remus told him with a smile. “Afraid we may be a bit busy until then, Sirius and I are in the middle of something, might take some time.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“What’s that?” Harry asked. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We may or may not be buying a house.” Remus replied with a wink. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A house!?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes, down in Cornwall.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’ve never really been.” Harry looked at the floorboards. “Is it nice?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes it’s lovely. There’s a beach at every street corner.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“You’ve got to see it properly Harry! In fact, you should come live with us when we're settled.” Sirius appeared at Remus’ shoulder, smiling insanely. “I said you could come live with me when my name was cleared, didn’t I?!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Harry looked over at Ron and Ginny, who seemed to be aggressively launching exploding snap cards at one another. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah maybe,” He said tentatively, pushing up his round glasses, just the way James used to. “S’pose I can’t stay here forever.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“If Molly had it her way, you would.” Remus said, soothingly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, but it’s not really my home…” Harry trailed off, biting his lip. “Well it is but… but I, I mean Mrs Weasley, and… well I just can’t stay here can I?” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Remus felt a strong urge to pull Harry into another hug. He knew exactly how he felt. Remus had never felt at home at St. Edmunds. Hogwarts had been his first real home and, even though the Potter’s had welcomed him openly, that had never properly felt like home either. Harry needed his own base. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“No, perhaps not.” Remus smiled sadly. “But not to worry, we have plenty of rooms, and you can pick whichever one you want.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sirius nodded along eagerly. “And you can bring all your friends round, we probably have enough rooms for some of them too!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Alright let’s not get ahead of ourselves.” Remus laughed. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>He supposed this was always going to be Sirius’ way of coping, surrounding himself with as many people as possible. Maybe that was a good thing, Remus always did the opposite, but that didn’t work so well. He should start following his own advice really. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Harry would you like to come with us the next time we visit the house?” Remus asked tentatively. He wasn’t sure he really wanted Harry to come, he liked it better when it was just him and Sirius, but he would have to get used to it sooner or later. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes! That would be awazing! I mean… I would like that a lot.” Harry responded so eagerly that Remus let go of any doubts immediately. He had done the right thing. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Right, we’ll come pick you up in a couple days then?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Great!”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Lovely.” Remus gave Harry one last pat on the shoulder, then went to help Andromeda load the baby into his pram.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We could take him tonight if you like.” Remus offered bravely. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh no, it’s alright Remus. It’s too much of a hassle tonight.” Andromeda replied, flattening her skirt. “But we must be getting a crib set up at your flat soon. I suppose I can’t keep hogging him like this all the time.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well actually, Sirius and I are buying a house.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“A house?” Andromeda looked slightly dumbfounded.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yes a house, down in Cornwall. It’s a nice big house, with a room for Teddy, and Harry, and really anyone else who fancies a place to stay.” Remus chuckled and rubbed the back of his head self consciously. “It was a bed and breakfast you see and…” He trailed off.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh Remus that’s wonderful news! I’m so glad the two of you are finally settling down!” Andromeda threw her thin arms around Remus’ tall frame and squeezed him with an alarmingly strong grip. “I was worried you two would be running around like headless chickens forever.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh… uh really?” Remus gave a small forced laugh and pulled away slightly.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well you know. Sirius always running off and causing trouble, and you two bickering like feisty teenager all the time. I was worried you would be going in circles forever. But you’re not. So that’s wonderful.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah… no we’re not, not bickering anymore…” Remus replied slowly. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Alright well I better be off, thank you for the delicious dinner Molly!” Andromeda gave Remus one last squeeze pushed the pram out the door, Leaving Remus standing in the doorway, his head spinning slightly. He was starting to feel as though he couldn’t keep up with his own life anymore. Everything was happening so quickly. He and Sirius were buying a house. Teddy was a possible werewolf, not to mention growing like a weed. Harry was possibly moving in with them. His life had never felt so full of joy and yet something felt off. Because every time something good happened he got that feeling that he couldn’t shake, a little tap on the shoulder, a voice saying; ‘You know it can’t last. It’s just the calm before the storm. The best times always come right before the worst times.’</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>***</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Saturday, July 18th 1998, 6:30pm.</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well he seemed to like it.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Yeah, I think he did.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you think he will come live with us then?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Oh pads,” Remus smiled as he looked down Rhubarb Hill. “I’m sure he will.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mmm, I hope so.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>They had just finished signing all the last papers for the house. Harry had come along and had a look around. They had been out to a local pub to celebrate after, now that the house officially belonged to them in writing. They had sat around and drunk cornish cider for a few hours until Harry went back to the Burrow. He had said he didn’t want to miss super, but Remus suspected he was really getting a bit bored of hanging about with two old men for so long. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you think Harry knows how to ride a bike?” Asked Sirius, as they walked down to the beach. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Dunno.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Well I can teach him if he doesn’t.” Sirius said thoughtfully. He had been doing that a lot lately - asking questions about Harry’s childhood out of the blue, then resolving to put right whatever was wrong. Remus knew it was the guilt of never being there for his godson. He sometimes wondered why he himself didn’t feel it so strongly. Did that make him a bad person? After all he had much more opportunity to be there for Harry than Sirius ever did. Why had it taken him so long to get around to it? He didn’t like making excuses anymore, it felt immature. There was no excuse for his neglect, which made it ever more strange that he felt so little guilt. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“He’ll like living by the sea.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“I’m sure he will.” Remus replied, as ran his hands through the damp sand. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“We could set up a guest room for Ron too.” </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mmhmm.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“And we can throw beach parties, and have bonfires just like when we were young.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mmm.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Do you think the other kids will ever come round?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Mmmhm.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Remus are you even listening to me?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Wot, yes I’m listening.” Remus opened his eyes wide and sat up slightly. The sound of the sea had been lulling him into a stupor. “It’s just, we’ve been over all this before, Love.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sirius huffed, and crossed his arms against the chilly breeze. It had not been a sunny day, and the air was getting cold as the light began to fade. There were no surfers to watch this time, only a few families digging in the sand with their raincoats draped over their shoulders. </span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Look, I’m sure everyone will come visit all the time, it’s a lovely house, and it’s in the perfect spot. You did well Sirius.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sirius turned to look at him and smiled. “You think so?”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>“Of course I do.” Remus pulled him down onto the beach blanket, and kissed his forehead lovingly. “You did wonderfully.”</span>
</p>
<p>
  <span>Sirius sighed and relaxed onto the cold sand. “Ok.”</span>
</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>My friend who proof reads the chapters for me said they didn't know what the game Pit was and that I should explain it. Basically it's a fun family card game where you have to trade cards, but the way you trade them is just by shouting out how many cards you have until someone trades with you. So it gets very loud and intense for no reason and it's really fun. I thought it seemed exactly like something the Weasleys would play. :)</p>
<p>The title is a hint at the lyric 'Life is what happens to you while you're busy making other plans' from Beautiful Boy. I think about that lyric constantly.</p>
        </blockquote></div></div>
</body>
</html>